July 28, 2015
UK and Bengal sign 21 MoUs
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led delegation to the UK today clinched 21 MoUs with the UK in the fields of industry, health, education and urban development.
The agreements were signed during a bilateral meeting with Britain’s Minister of State for Employment and British Prime Minister David Cameron’s Indian Diaspora champion Priti Patel at a reception hosted at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London.
Praise for Bengal
“This is a landmark visit… These MoUs will help bring the UK and West Bengal ever closer, and unleash the potential of our relationship,” Patel said in her address.
“For 34 years, West Bengal languished under Communist rule. The state had tremendous potential, but that potential remained unfulfilled… I am delighted to say that things are changing fast. Today, West Bengal is on the move.
“Under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership the state is enjoying a renaissance and its potential is beginning to be realized,” said the Indian-origin minister, who had accompanied PM Cameron to Kolkata in 2013.
“The Prime Minister was impressed. It was clear to him this was a state ? and a Chief Minister ? that we could do business with. That’s why he invited you (Banerjee) to visit London,” she said on behalf of the British Prime Minister, who is on a tour of South East Asia.
Details of MoUs
Industry
1. Between WB Infrastructure Development Corporation and UK-IBC for building up business relation between England and West Bengal.
2. Between Pandrol Ltd, UK and Rahee Infratech for a rail fastening clip unit
3. JV between Fonz Leather Styles, UK and JC International for leather unit
4. JV between Fomas group, Italy and ArcVac Forgecast for forging press
5. On support from Laura Ashley and Luike Irvine, UK for promotion of Bengal handicrafts
6. Between Jacob’s UK Ltd and Nicco Park & Resorts Ltd for technical assistance
7. Invitation of guidance between WBIDC, India Teas Association and UK Teal Packeters.
8. Collaboration agreement between Eden Projects, UK and Highland Genesis Developers for micro climate controlled bio domes for eco-tourism.
9. Between Bengal’s Nestor’s Industries and Genus, UK for upgrading genetic potential in Bengal’s dairy animals.
10. Between PC Chandra group and Wester Winter GMBH & Co, UK for development in gold industry.
11. Agreement with Paul Mech, UK and Shopping Bag Directs Ltd to sell Gobindobhog rice in global markets.
Health
12. Understanding with Royal College of General Practitioners for support on PG diploma on family medicine.
13. Between Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance and University College of London Institute of Global Health for collaboration on public health education.
14. Between WB Health & Family Welfare Society and College of Nursing, Dundee, Scotland for nursing education.
15. Between Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance and London School of Tropical Medicine for assistance in Pubic Health Engineering.
Urban Development
16. Between WB HIDCO and Jason Bruges Studio, UK for smart technologies in New Town.
17. Between HIDCO and Smart Cities Catapult, UK for making New Town a Smart City.
Higher Education
18. Between School of Oriental and African Studies and Presidency University for co-operation on South Asian studies.
19. Between School of Oriental and African Studies and Presidency University for Bengali studies in SOAS and exchange programme.
20. Between University of Cambridge and Presidency University for collaboration in arts, humanities and social sciences.
21. Between East Anglia University, Norwich and Presidency University for collaboration in humanities.
