Pitroda is new advisor on 'Resurgent Bengal'

Paribartan in West Bengal has a new-found enthusiast. Sam Pitroda, advisor to the Prime Minister on public information infrastructure and innovations, will be advisor to the new government on 'Resurgent Bengal'.

'Resurgent Bengal' is to be the dossier for the state's development to be followed by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.

To this end, Pitroda will assist Banerjee and her team in creating a knowledge city in Kolkata, the state's capital.

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"Sam Pitroda, who has to his credit the beginning of telecommunications in India, will now be chief advisor to 'Resurgent Bengal', helping with the development of the state," said West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee.

Pitroda, who also attended Banerjee's swearing in ceremony two months back, said that he had always been a great admirer of her work and would be available to help Bengal in any way he could.

"I have known her for a long time and been an admirer of her work. I am here to help her and am prepared to do what I can to help her," he told the media after a half hour meeting with the CM.  Pitroda, a well known technocrat, said he will help the state in attracting investing in sectors like health and education, where he had some prior experience.

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He held a meeting with Banerjee and other members of her administration at Writers', and submitted a document titled 'paribartan' to the CM, which consists of recommendations and guidelines for change.

As part of his first assignment in his capacity as adviser, he will help Banerjee set up 15 clusters of innovation encouraging entrepreneurship. These will be industrial clusters and will come with incubation centres.

"First, on Mamata Banerjee's guidelines 5 clusters will be selected to seed innovation. These will have incubation centres and will be linked to CSIR labs. Innovation globally will be the key for growth. We will attempt to make Bengal a leader in this area," he said.

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Industrial clusters, incidentally, form a part of Banerjee's focus agenda for the first 100 days.

For Mamata Banerjee, the development of these clusters will mean another promise kept. Also, the association of a name like Pitroda will mean better visibility for the state, a fact Pitroda himself seemed well aware of.

"I can assist the government with experts that are in my contact which would help set the centre up. I have prepared a guidance document to this effect which we discussed," he said.