A number of trade bodies in north Bengal have come up with investment proposals worth around Rs 200 crore and have also disclosed that several entrepreneurs are ready to set up industrial parks across the region.
The trade bodies said the floodgates had opened because of the Bengal government’s decision to reduce the land ceiling for setting up such parks. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has been highlighting the decision at her administrative meetings. Mamata has declared that her next aim is the industrialisation of Bengal.
At a recent meeting organised by the Jalpaiguri district administration to prepare for the district-level Synergy — a business conclave hosted by the Bengal government — members of the trade bodies have come up with business proposals.
“A sum of around Rs 100 crore will be invested to create warehousing and other industrial facilities on a 30-acre plot in Fulbari (at the southern end of Siliguri). A number of prominent e-commerce companies have planned to open offices and stores at the site,” said Kishore Marodia, joint secretary of the North Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industries.
Representatives of the small tea sector, who were also present at the preparatory meeting, said fresh investments would be made soon.
“A number of new bought-leaf factories will be developed in the district by self-help groups of small tea growers. We are expecting a cumulative investment of Rs 80 crore,” said Rajat Karji, president of the Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Growers’ Association.
The trade bodies representing private entrepreneurs said the state’s decision to reduce the minimum land ceiling from 15 acres to five acres for setting up an industrial park on government and private land had encouraged fresh investments in north Bengal.
“A number of proposals for industrial parks and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) are ready with us and some more are in progress. The state government has set a target to set up 100 such parks across Bengal and we believe around half of these will come up in the northern districts of the state,” said Surajit Paul, secretary of the North Bengal Industries Association.
That the state is keen to developing the MSME sector, which can generate employment, is also evident from Mamata’s emphasis on the issue. During the past three days, as she attended administrative review meetings in different districts of the state, she has time and again mentioned the decision.
“We have reduced the land ceiling…. It can facilitate investment to set up industrial parks as well as different units. You have to take a proactive role to bring in investments. The state government is there to extend all support to you. We are also organising Synergy where you can speak about your issues and new proposals. These days, our principal focus is on generation of employment,” the chief minister said while addressing representatives of local trade bodies of Nadia district where she held an administrative review meeting on Thursday.
During the past few years, the Mamata government has been hosting Synergy, a district-level business event where the state reaches out to entrepreneurs to address the issues they face and also to encourage investments, especially in the MSME sector.
“The next district-level Synergy will be held at 11 places across the state. They will start on December 11 and continue till February 18. Officials of different state departments will be present at the events and they will sit together for one-to-one interactions with entrepreneurs so that solutions can be provided to their business needs,” a source said.
