Summit ends amid fanfare, Bengal bags whopping Rs 2.50L cr investment proposals

 The historic Summit, held at the Milan Mela Fair ground, was a ‘fabulous’ and ‘superb’ event with assurances of every possible assistance to businessmen from the Chief Minister.

“If you face any problem, come to me, I will try to resolve the issue,” she said. She made it very clear that the state government would not tolerate any harassment of the industrialists.

“As they are investing money, their interests must be protected and at the same time instead of harassing them one should ask them to invest more in the CSR projects.”

She announced that in 2017, the Summit would be held on January 20 and 21 respectively, while dinner for the guests would be held on January 19. Later, when journalists asked whether she was confident about winning the forthcoming Assembly elections, she refused to comment; but the announcement was an indication in that direction.

She said that the Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL) would run through the Andal-Kolkata-Bagdogra-Paro-Singapore route. Calling this a major event in the transport sector, she said that Andal, the country’s first Greenfield private airport was picking up fast. There were proposals to set up airports at Balurghat and Malda and the Bagdogra airport will be upgraded. A bus production facility will also be started in the industrial park of BAPL’s Aerotropolis Project through a joint venture of Zhongtong Bus Holding Co., West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) and Dedico Transport Private Limited (DTPL). This will be China’s first major investment in the country in the manufacturing sector. Three types of buses would be manufactured by the Shandong Province based company, which is one of China’s major bus makers.

Banerjee said that there were business proposals worth Rs 1.60 lakh crore for the manufacturing sector. In the mining and urban development sectors, it was around Rs 50,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore, respectively; while in higher education and transport it was Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 9,384 crore, respectively. In tourism and health sectors it was Rs 850 crore and Rs 250 crore respectively.

The Chief Minister said that a deep sea port was coming up at Sagar Island and the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone in February. Another port is said to be coming up at Rasulpur.

She claimed that the state is self-sufficient in power and rural electrification up to 95 per cent had been completed. She reiterated that when her government took over in 2011 there were frequent power cuts which is now a matter of the past. She expected investment to the tune of Rs 8,462 crore in the power sector.

She further added that West Bengal was at the top in manufacturing, jute and engineering, and “its past glory must be brought back.” Without naming the Left Front, she said that because of the former government the state was paying a debt of Rs 1 lakh crore to the Centre. Later, when asked by journalists whether she received some indication from the Centre that it would give moratorium, she replied, “silence is gold.”

Urging the businessmen to invest in West Bengal she once again said that it was the gateway to the North-East, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Bhutan and Singapore. “We must capture the markets there and if Bengal develops, its neighbouring states like Bihar, Jharkhand will also develop,” she maintained.

The Chief Minister said that a government should develop its credibility and generate confidence among investors. She added that despite the financial crunch, revenue generation had doubled in the past four years.

Despite saying that ‘old is gold’, she added that the young generation should be roped in. 

“In Bengaluru, many Bengalees are working in the IT sector because of their brilliance. Steps should be taken to bring them back.” While concluding her speech, the Chief Minister said that the catchline of the two-day Global Business Summit was to ‘serve with a smile’. She made it clear that the state government would not tolerate communal tension or terror by goons.