Industrialisation in West Bengal is not on the back burner as investments of Rs 47,500 crore (Rs 475 billion) are in various stages of implementation.
Addressing the annual general meeting of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, West Bengal commerce and industry minister Nirupam Sen said 62 big investment proposals were in various stages of implementation and would be implemented over the next three years.
The combined investment would be around Rs 47,500 crore. In 2008, the total investment on ground was around Rs 4,500 crore (Rs 45 billion). It could have been more, but for some projects that did not materialise, said Sen.
However, without dwelling on the political uncertainty leading to derailment of Bengal's industrialisation, Sen said that some positive lessons had emerged from the debate surround industrialisation and the state government was taking corrective measures.
"If one has move from the seat of power due to industrialization it should not be concluded that the state does not need industrialisation," he said. West Bengal municipal affairs and urban development minister, Ashok Bhattacharya, urged the Trinamool Congress ministers of state at the Centre to take up the funding pattern of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Around 65 per cent of the investment in all JNNURM projects was funded by the West Bengal government while the balance was borne by the central government. Bhattacharya said, 50 per cent should be borne by the Centre. Bhattacharya's suggestion was an oblique response to the BNCCI president, Sandip Sen's speech.
Sen said in his address, "Never before in the history on independent India, West Bengal was so well represented in the Centre. The voice of our state is now audible at the Centre.
"It is also hoped that a stable United Progressive Alliance, government having comfortable majority, would be able to take up major reform measures, as required, to sustain growth in tune with global trends."
Image: Nirupam Sen
