November 25, 2011
`Bengal Shining` at IITF; CM invites industrialists to invest in West Bengal
Ever since Ms. Mamata Banerjee has taken over as the West Bengal Chief Minister, she is leaving no stone unturned to promote development in West Bengal. She had been meeting industrialists over these six-months.
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee on Thursday took this initiative a little ahead by meeting business community in Delhi over ‘Bengal Shining’, a seminar organized to observe the ‘West Bengal Day,’ at 31st India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Ms. Mamata Banerjee on this occasion had an interaction session with the India Inc. and requested them to invest in West Bengal. Interestingly it is after several years that Bengal partnered with the ITP’s trade fair. Talking of `Parivartan`, this was indeed a something new as it was first time in so many years of IITF that an interactive session like this was organized where the Chief Minister and business community interacted. Previously, the ‘West Bengal Day’ would end up with a note from the respective minister followed by cultural programme.
The idea behind the session was to apprise the business fraternity of the progress and developments taking place in West Bengal and if they invest then what potential does the state holds in terms of profit and turnovers. `Investment was poor earlier. But now the options are open in different areas including manufacturing industries, food industries, agricultural products, tourism, cultural tourism,` said Ms. Banerjee who at the same time maintained her stand over the FDI in retail proposed by the Government. “I am not against the FDI but so long my farmers are poor and have nothing to eat, I will not accept FDI in retail as I cant snatch bread and butter from them”, said Ms. Banerjee. `Let the matter come in our party, we will discuss it in our Parliamentary Committee`, she added.
`If you invest in Bengal you can capture markets in northeastern states, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan`, said Ms. Banerjee.
The Chief Minister requested the industrialists to attend the ‘Rising Bengal Summit’ in Kolkata from Jan. 6 to 11, 2012. `I will be happy if you all can make it to the summit and attend the inaugural session too, I will request you to block the dates in your calendar`, smiled Ms. Banerjee.
West Bengal Finance Minister Mr. Amit Mitra, Industries Minister Mr. Partha Chatterjee and Union Railway Minister Mr. Dinesh Trivedi were also present on this occasion.
