Author: AITC

The West Bengalgovernment is planning to set up 10 smart cities. While there is no singledefinition of a “smart city”, the term loosely refers to cities usinginformation and technology (IT) to solve urban problems. 

According to DebashisSen, Principal Secretary, State Urban Development Department, 10 areas ortownships have already been identified and a list of these will soon be sent tothe Centre for probable inclusion in the smart cities list.

The areas or townshipsselected include New Town-Rajarhat, Durgapur, Bolpur, Kalyani, Baruipur,Gangasagar, Debanandapur, Raghunathpur, Phulbari and Jaigaon.

Work on documentingthe smart city project has begun. Survey work is expected to start soon, thebureaucrat said. The basic infrastructure for the smart city will be developedby the State government, with a probable funding from the Centre, while housingand other requirements will be carried out by private developers.

Industrialist Sanjeev Goenka on Thursdaytermed Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee's business meetings in Singapore asextremely well-organized and professional and ranked it among the best businessdelegations that he has been a part of over the years.

“We went to Singapore with an expectation.I returned last night with an experience beyond expectation. The meeting venueand the decor, the manner in which the interactions were held and indeed theCM's countenance was very different from anything that I have witnessed before.

The Chief Minister was completely focusedand attentive to what was being said. She spoke sparingly, and when she did,she exuded confidence, spoke from the heart. Many delegates from Singaporelater told me that what was perceived of the Bengal CM and what they witnessedwas completely at odds,” Mr Goenka said.

Mr Goenka was also all praise for themanner in which the meetings were conducted as well as the content ofpresentations. “It was absolutely top class. It could have been a meeting atDavos. And Mamata was absolutely clear in what she had to say. If someone had aserious business proposal, land would not be a hurdle, she made it known. I amcertain that in two years, we will see something come of this visit,” he said.

The CESC chairman also felt Ms MamataBanerjee's proposal to create a chair at the Calcutta University in honour ofLee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister and often referred to as the country'sarchitect, was a masterstroke. 

The West Bengal government has given aproposal to 10 leading venture capital funds of Singapore to set a 'Bengalspecific fund' that will invest in projects in the state.

Minister for Industries and Commerce, DrAmit Mitra on Thursday said that the secretary of the department of medium and small-scaleindustries met some top venture capital funds and submitted the proposal. The Stategovernment has also initiated discussions with Changi Airport Authority for a Biswa Bangla stall at Singapore airport.If it comes through, it will be the first stall of any Indian State atSingapore airport.

The government has also requested theBengali community in Singapore to set up a fund for social services in Bengal. “OurCM has requested the Bengali community here to give it back to the place theycame from,” Dr Mitra said.

Singapore-based venture capitalists arekeen to invest in Bengal companies and projects since they are now focusing ondeveloping economies. Some these funds have $ 10 billion assets. The Bengal governmenthas proposed to set up a Bengal specific fund, like some VCs have India-specificfunds. This fund can invest in MSME as well as big industries.

Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee and stateFinance and Industry minister Dr Amit Mitra met Singapore Foreign Minister Mr KSammugam on Thursday. Dr Mitra said the hour-long luncheon meet was “veryfruitful”.

“The Singapore foreign minister hasspecified areas of cooperation. These are township development, hospitality,tourism, construction industry, entertainment theme parks and human resourcedevelopment. Singapore is now the education and entertainment hub ofAsia,” he said. There was discussion on how to organise more exhibitionsin different sectors in Kolkata and Singapore to strengthen bilateral ties, headded.

The State Chief Secretary and the TransportSecretary visited Li Kuan Wu institute of public administration on Thursday.Only a day ago, the CM had recommended that Bengal bureaucrats get hands-onexperience of how things work so seamlessly in Singapore and replicate it backhome. WBCS officers from Bengal state will come for training at this institute.It will give them more exposure. Later, professors of the institute might go toKolkata as well..

State government officials also met topofficials of Singapore Urban Redevelopment Board. “Our Chief Minister hasrecently announced her plans for smart cities. We might take the help ofSingapore Urban Redevelopment board as it has tremendous expertise in thisfield,” Dr  Mitra added. 

West Bengal may soon get a Singapore-styledNight Safari. West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee was inspired by thearrangements for tourists at the Singapore Zoo. She was suggested to take thetrip by Hon'ble Prime Minister of Singapore Mr Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister went for a night safariat the zoo in an open tram. They sighted tigers, rhinos, bison and lions duringthe 45-minute trip. Thrilled by the experience, the Chief Minister declaredthat she would take an initiative to introduce a similar safari in the state.”We must have a night safari somewhere in West Bengal,” she said atthe end of the trip.

On way back from the zoo, the West BengalChief Minister said she was ready to send wild elephants to Singapore as agoodwill gesture. “If they ask for it, I am ready to send elephants andrhinos,” she said.

Incidentally, the West Bengal Government issetting up a bird sanctuary within the Eco Park at Rajarhat, the Chief Ministerhad said at Singapore on Monday. After taking a tour around the famous JurongBird Park in Singapore, the West Bengal Chief Minister said the sanctuary willcome up over a five acre area.

She also said that a Safari Park is beingset up at Siliguri. The West Bengal Chief had laid the foundation stone of thesafari park on the fringes of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary on July 17. Thesafari park, which is the first of its kind in the State, will be built over anarea of 600 acres at a cost of Rs 255 crore. The park is a joint project of thedepartments of north Bengal development, tourism and the forest. The CentralZoo Authority has granted permission to the state government to set up the park. 

A foundation course in administration atthe IAS training institute in Mussoorie or even subsequent career developmentcourses may not be sufficient for bureaucrats in Bengal. In a flash ofinspiration, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday suggested that theyget hands-on experience in Singapore for its seamless, quick anddelivery-oriented public management.

The Chief Minister's inspiration is notwithout reason – for seven consecutive years World Bank had ranked Singaporefirst globally for ease of doing business.

“Our government officials will come toSingapore and take training from the Singapore public administration.Thiscountry has really good public administration,” the CM said at an investors'meet at Singapore.

The island town has impressed Ms Mamata Banerjeewith its per severance and discipline.”Singapore is a beautiful country and sodisciplined. All the boys and girls are soft spoken, sober, and equally hardworking. This is something one should learn from them,” the CM -herself astickler for discipline -gushed.

She wants to emulate the work culture thathas attracted all top global brands to Singapore.She has even asked West BengalIndustrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) to set up a nodal office inSingapore to attract investment to Bengal. “A special officer will be stationedhere,” she said.

Mamata has even named the proposedSingapore-Bengal business centre after modern Singapore's architect Lee KuanWu, only a day after announcing the decision to set up a business facilitationhub. “I have already extended my invitation to Prime Minister L H Loong tograce the inauguration of the centre,” Mamata said. Apart from big brands, the ChiefMinister made a specific request for investment in the entertainment industry -close to her heart -apart from tourism, IT and ITES, logistics and relatedareas where Singapore has a global presence. She also urged big Singapore-basedinvestment firms to invest in Bengal.

While talking business and money, Mamatadidn't lose sight of Bengal's Singapore connect. Calling her Singapore trip apilgrimage, Mamata said: “Long years ago, Subhas Chandra Bose – we fondlycalled him Netaji – a brave and heroic son of Mother India established IndianNational Army here in Singapore and gave his clarion call 'Delhi Chalo'.”

Mamata pointed out that Singapore is only 4hours from Kolkata, which is the closest Indian metropolis to Singapore. “Thiscould be the gateway of India for you,” she said.

Industrialists shared their experiences tosell the Bengal dream. Executive director of the $10 billion ITC Ltd K Grantsaid their company has been in Bengal for 104 years and will remain in thestate for the next 100 years. Umesh Chowdhary , MD of Titagarh Wagons, said theadministration “is very supportive and has always stood beside us”. RP-SanjivGoenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka pointed out that he has not faced a singleman-day's loss in the last few years.

Prasoon Mukherjee, chairman ofSingapore-based Universal Success, who has large exposure in Bengal, said thatMamata impressed the industry captains in Singapore with her “candid andstraight-forward approach”. CEO of Changi International Lim Liang Song indicatedthat the firm's experience in Bengal is better than in Russia and Brazil. TILvice-chairman and CII national president elect Sumit Mazumdar pointed out thatBengal could be a manufacturing hub for entire South-East Asia.

The article was first published in The Times of India on August 21, 2014

One of the big gains of Wednesday was thatScomi Engineering – the monorail operator in Sao Paulo, Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai-announced its intention to have a footprint in the City of Joy, particularlywhen the government wants such a project in Rajarhat New Town.

The global monorail operator has alreadysubmitted an expression of interest to Commerce and Industries Minister Dr AmitMitra, said company CEO K Veluppillai, adding that they are keen to develop theNew Town project if the Bengal government gives it to them. The company isn'taverse to participating in a global tender for monorail. “Whatever way thegovernment wants, we will participate,” he said.

The Scomi CEO who participated in theinvestors' summit in Singapore pegged the Kolkata monorail project cost at Rs2,000 to Rs 2,500 crore. Scomi has a joint venture with L&T for the Mumbaimonorail. The CEO indicated that it might have a local partner for the Kolkataone as well.

The Singapore business trip of West BengalChief Minister received adulation and praise from both the national and theregional media. While the Chief Minister's visit was covered live by a private Bengalinews channel, the print media carried in-depth coverage of this outstandingevent.

Several Bengali dailies, published fromKolkata, provided detailed reportage on the day-to-day developments of theChief Minister's visit and the subsequent results. Some papers included columnslike 'Singapore Diary' to give the readers an insider's view of the trip.

West Bengal government has decided to setup a nodal office in Singapore to facilitate investments. A joint businesscentre is coming up in Kolkata. Apart from that 13 business deals and lettersof intent were signed at the Business Summit yesterday, where WB CM won heartswith her simplicity and humane nature.

Here are some of the reports that appearedin the media over the last few days regarding WB CM's Singapore trip:

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms MamataBanerjee attended a cultural function organized by the Bengali Association ofSingapore on Wednesday evening. The Chief Minister appealed to the Bengalicommunity of Singapore to remember their roots and focus on the developmentalinitiatives of Bengal. She asked them to be individual brand ambassadors of theState.

She told the members of the BengaliAssociation that she was proud of the success of Bengalis in Singapore. Sheappealed to them not to forget their motherland. She asked for theircooperation and support for the upcoming BiswaBanga Sammelan to be held from January 7-9, 2015 at Kolkata. The January 9session will be exclusively for non-resident Bengali entrepreneurs.

Didi stressed that she is not a ChiefMinister but just a simple worker. She said all that mattered to her was thelove people showered on her.

Later that evening she updated her Facebookpage:

“Today was a milestone occasion for WestBengal. This morning, we had a business summit of more than 200 officials andindustrialists, all of whom have showed much passion and determination to makeWest Bengal achieve greater heights. A promising 13 business dealings havecommenced between Singapore and West Bengal.

I am confident that in the near future wewill have a stronger and more dynamic business relationship with Singapore.This is part of our bigger dream to have local roots with global pursuits, andmake our Biswa Bangla brand resonatebeyond our borders.

This evening, I have also met with theBengali Association of Singapore. They are a lively representation of ourbeautiful culture. They too have responded positively to support their roots.

Tomorrow I will meet Singapore's Ministerfor Foreign Affairs, Mr K Shanmugam who had invited me to this country.”