March 16, 2012
Budget session begins in West Bengal Assembly
The first ever Budget Session of the Maa, Mati, Manush Government started today at West Bengal Assembly in presence of the Hon’ble Governor and the Chief Minister.
Inaugurating the budget session, the governor said in his hour-long address that "industries are our economic backbone. A number of pro-industry initiatives have been taken by the new state government since May last year.
In terms of new investments, proposals for an estimated amount of Rs 80,000 crore have been received during the first nine months of the new government. A core committee has been constituted to monitor further industrial progress and to facilitate industry-government interaction for rapid industrialisation in the state."
"Mega projects are coming up. For example, Matrix Fertiliser & Chemical Ltd is setting up a 2,200 MTPD ammonia plant and 3,850 MTPD single stream urea plant at Panagarh Industrial Park with a proposed investment of Rs 11,000 crore. Further, the government has granted 45.17 acres to TVS Motor for setting up an assembling unit at Uluberia jointly with Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd, christened as Neo Strategic Motors Pvt Ltd.
Besides, the state government has signed an agreement with NKID for developing the Nayachar Island in East Midnapore district where an environmentally sustainable industrial park, an eco-tourism park, a 2,000 MW power plant and a fishermen's village will be developed, that will attract an investment of over Rs 19,000 crore," Mr. Narayanan said in his 36-page speech.
He also said that new units of Tractors India Ltd (TIL) at Vidyasagar Industrial Park and Changual Industrial Park at Kharagpur have been commissioned with a total investment of Rs 600 crore. TIL will manufacture Reachstacker and Forklift trucks in association with US-based Hyster and cranes in collaboration with Maintowoc. Besides, in the heavy industries sector, Universal Success Group, HPCL and Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd have proposed to invest Rs 19,070 crore, Rs 500 crore and Rs 238 crore, respectively.
Mr. Narayanan said that "steps have been taken for direct procurement of paddy from farmers by different government organisations. In order to ensure that the farmers actually get the minimum support price for paddy, all payments to farmers are being made by account payee cheques."
