Karan Adani meets Mamata, discusses possible investment

Kolkata: Industrialist Gautam Adani's son Karan Adani on Thursday met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state Secretariat and discussed possible investments in the state, a top government official said.

At the meeting, held two months before the state government's Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), discussions were held on constructing the proposed deep-sea port at Tajpur and Karan Adani, who is the chief executive officer of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited (APSEZ), showed interest.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the port is expiring on February 15. Discussions were also held on possible investments in the Deocha-Pachami coal mining project, he said. Earlier, in December, Gautam Adani, the chairman and founder of

Adani Group had called upon Banerjee and expressed interest..in investing in West Bengal. He had claimed that he was looking ahead to attending the business summit in Kolkata.

Currently, the Group has an edible oil plant — Adani Wilmar at Haldia and a city-gas distribution license in partnership with the Indian Oil.

The state government has plans to invest around Rs 4,200 crore in the Tajpur project which is expected to draw investments to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore while total employment will be over 25,000.

Banerjee had even invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate this year's business summit.

Earlier in the day, the Letter of Award (LOA) for mechanisation and upgradation of berth No. 2 at Haldia Dock Complex was handed over to M/s. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) Ltd. by Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP), Kolkata, in presence of Vinit Kumar, Chairman, SMP and Karan Adani, whole-time director & CEO of M/s Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ).

"The project will add new synergy between SMP, Kolkata and the largest private port operator.

"The project envisages incorporating environment friendly, fully mechanised with state-of-the-art technology for handling dry bulk cargo," Vinit Kumar, chairman, SMP, Kolkata said.

It has the potential of generating employment involving an estimated investment by PPP to the tune of Rs 298.26 crore.