Bengal Industry Minister holds meeting with Chinese delegation

Bengal Finance and Industry Minister Dr Amit Mitra on Sunday chaired a meeting with a Chinese business delegation at Nabanna.

A Chinese delegation had earlier surveyed the State’s industry infrastructure and had expressed desire to invest in Bengal.

In September 2016, a 21- member business delegation had visited Kolkata. That China is looking at Bengal as an investment destination and the country feels that business environment in the State has improved over time,  was expressed by the chairman of Worldwide Business Culture Exchange Centre, who was from Beijing.

 

চীনের প্রতিনিধিদলের সাথে বৈঠক করলেন শিল্পমন্ত্রী অমিত মিত্র

রবিবার নবান্নে চীনের প্রতিনিধিদলের সঙ্গে বৈঠক করলেন রাজ্যের অর্থ ও শিল্পমন্ত্রী অমিত মিত্র।

আগেও সেখানকার বণিকসভার প্রতিনিধিরা এসেছিলেন রাজ্যে। রাজ্যের পরিস্থিতি ঘুরে দেখে তারা লগ্নি নিয়ে আগ্রহ প্রকাশ করেছেন।

এই বছর সেপ্টেম্বর মাসে ২১ জন সদস্যের একটি চীনা ব্যবসায়ী প্রতিনিধিদল কলকাতা সফর করেন। চীনের সঙ্গে রাজ্যের বাণিজ্যিক সম্পর্ক আরও সুদৃঢ় হচ্ছে। উজ্জ্বল হচ্ছে বিভিন্ন ক্ষেত্রে লগ্নির সম্ভাবনা। বিনিয়োগের গন্তব্য স্থল হিসেবে চীন বাংলাকেই বেছে নিয়েছে। ওয়ার্ল্ড ওয়াইড কালচার এক্সচেঞ্জ সেন্টারের চেয়ারম্যান জানান, রাজ্যে এখন বিনিয়োগের ভাল পরিবেশ।

 

Chinese delegation eyes investment in 7 sectors in Bengal

A 21-member Chinese trade delegation on Monday expressed their interest to invest in seven different industrial sectors in the state. The delegation – consisting of chief executive officers, vice-presidents and managing directors of 13 different companies met the local business fraternities on a ‘Business to Business’ gathering to discuss trade and investments in Bengal.

On Monday, Bengal Commerce and Industries Minister Dr Amit Mitra met the Chinese delegates. “They are interested to invest in the sectors of coal machinery and equipments, metallurgy, mining, electrical, chemical productions, pharmaceutical and medical equipments, biological equipments, hydropower and real estate materials,” Dr Mitra said.

The Chinese delegation is interested in manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate and heavy machinery. The scenario of Bengal is business friendly and conducive for investment, the delegation thinks..

The Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao had met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in November 2015, and assured her to send a business delegation to the state.

“Chinese Vice-President had met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and at the time had assured her to send a business delegation. With a focus on investment, the 13 companies from China have come to explore business opportunities in Bengal, whose aggregated turnover is USD 10 billion,” said Dr Mitra, adding that a delegation comprising top bosses of ‘Fortune 500’ companies is set to visit the state in November this year.

Additionally, the Chinese delegation will have discussions with Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) and also visit a manufacturing zone at Burdwan’s Panagarh to get exact knowledge of investment opportunities in the state.

“The Chinese delegation will visit the Matix factory at Panagarh. It will give them genuine knowledge of industrialisation in the state. As the first phase of its Panagarh urea plant is ready for commissioning, Matix Fertilizers plans to invest Rs 6,500 Cr in the second phase of the project,” the State Commerce and Industries minister said.

Dr Mitra said the Chinese companies have also shown their interest in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, which will be given support on behalf of the state government as per the industrial policy. The state has 6,000 acre of land in 23 industrial estates. “The huge trade deficit shows us that we should do more business with China,” Mitra added.

“We have invited the Chinese delegation to attend the Bengal Global Business Summit and I hope they will take a firm decision on investments in the state. Chinese do not take much time. Many countries take time to research, Chinese are not like those. They are always quick to grab the opportunities,” Dr Mitra said.

 

বাংলায় বিনিয়োগে আগ্রহী চিনের প্রতিনিধি দল

গতকাল চিন থেকে ২২ জনের একটি শিল্প প্রতিনিধি দল অমিত মিত্রের সঙ্গে বৈঠক করতে আসেন। বাংলায় শিল্পে বিনিয়োগের আদর্শ পরিবেশ তৈরী হয়েছে মমতা বন্দোপাধ্যায়ের আমলেই, জানালেন শিল্প বিনিয়োগের সম্ভাবনা খতিয়ে দেখতে আসা চীন প্রতিনিধি দলের নেতৃত্বে থাকা প্রতিনিধিরা।
চিন থেকে আসা প্রতিনিধিরা  জানান যে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ক্রমশ উন্নতি করেছে। আগের অবস্থার পরিবর্তন ঘটিয়ে রাজ্য বিনিয়োগের উপযুক্ত হয়ে উঠেছে।  রাজ্যের বিভিন্ন শিল্প সম্ভাবনা খতিয়ে দেখতে এসেছেন তারা।  রাজ্যের শিল্পমন্ত্রী  ডঃ অমিত মিত্র এই সভার প্রতিনিধিত্ব করেন। উপস্থিত ছিলেন অর্থ দফতরের বিভিন্ন আধিকারিকরা। চিন থেকে আসা প্রতিনিধি দলের পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সফর নিয়ে উত্সাহী রাজ্যের শিল্পপতি মহল।
ধাতু বিদ্যা, খনিজ সরঞ্জাম এবং উত্পাদন বিষয়ক বিভিন্ন খাতে বিনিয়োগের ইচ্ছা প্রকাশ করেছেন দলটি।বাংলায় শিল্প বিনিয়োগের রূপরেখা তৈরী করতে তুমুল উত্সাহী  চিন। এই প্রতিনিধি দলকে উপযুক্ত জমি দেখতে পানাগড় নিয়ে যাওয়া হয়।দুদিন ব্যাপী এই সফরে তাদের চাহিদা অনুযায়ী ল্যান্ড ব্যাংকে থাকা বাকি জমিও দেখানো হবে। ১৩টি শিল্প সংস্থার ১৯ জন প্রতিনিধি এখানে আসেন। এই ১৩টি সংস্থার বার্ষিক আয় ১০০০ কোটি ডলারের বেশি। ফরচুন ৫০০ নথিভুক্ত কয়েকটি চীনা সংস্থাকে নিয়ে আগামী অক্টোবর মাসে এই প্রতিনিধিদল আবার আসবেন। সাংজি এনার্জি গ্রুপের পক্ষ থেকে জলবিদ্যুৎতে বিনিয়োগের আগ্রহ প্রকাশ করা হয়েছে।
সিচুয়ান চানকে ইন্ডাস্ট্রিয়াল কোম্পানি লিমিটেডের পক্ষ থেকে রাজ্যের সঙ্গে মৌ সাক্ষরে আগ্রহ প্রকাশ করা হয়েছে। ক্রাউন ইনভেস্টমেন্ট কোম্পানি লিমিটেডের পক্ষ থেকে রিয়েল এস্টেটে স্থানীয় শিল্পপতিদের সঙ্গে চুক্তিতে আগ্রহ প্রকাশ করা হয়েছে।

 

Bengal products on China shelves

Bengal products will now be found in Chinese markets -courtesy an MoU between Biswa Bangla Corporation and Haohong Logistics Corporation, a unit of the billion Yuan Haohong Group.

Two way trade

Biswa Bangla Corporation, developed by the Mamata Banerjee government, will have a permanent stall at Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, to showcase Bengal products.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Yunnan governor Chen Hao, union minister of state for external affairs and Bengal finance and industries minister Amit Mitra. The Haohong Group has allotted a 100 sq m area in its industrial park.

Dr Mitra said: “Bengal handicrafts will now be available in China. This is a major step.”

Boost to tourism

The West Bengal tourism department also expects better inflow of Chinese tourists to Bengal following an MoU with the Yunnan provincial tourism corporation. The agreement was signed after chairman of West Bengal chapter, Indian Tour Operators Association, Debajit Dutta made a presentation on Bengal tourism.

Stronger ties between sister cities

 

Another MOU was signed between MSME Technology Centre and Kunming SME financial transaction service, which will act as the backbone for SME infrastructure in Bengal, said state MSME secretary Rajiva Sinha.

Earlier Kunming governor expressed interest in setting up an industrial park in Bengal which he feels should strengthen relationship with Yunnan.

Dr Mitra later said that the Yunnan governor has agreed to send an investors’ delegation to the next Bengal business summit. Mitra urged Yunnan investors to invest in the upcoming Bengal townships, one of the pet projects of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We are building 22 smart cities on private-public partnership. I would request Chinese companies to invest here. Yunnan is very strong in food processing and cold storage infrastructure. We would require investment in these sectors as well,” he added.

Amit Mitra leads Team Bengal at China

State finance and industries minister Amit Mitra is in China today to attract investment for Bengal as well as strengthen the much talked about Kolkata-Kunming connectivity.

Dr Mitra is accompanied by an Indian Chamber of Commerce delegation. Dr Mitra said that India will be the partner country of the 3rd China South Asia Expo in Kunming, and Bengal will be the focus state.

Bengal had a 450 sq m stall at the venue with 28 stalls displaying the potential of Bengal. On Friday, Dr Mitra will address the joint opening ceremony of the expo. “There will be a special cultural programme from Bengal,” he added.

There will be business-to-business meetings with Chinese counterparts as well.

Amit Mitra to lead Team Bengal at China expo

State Finance, Industries and Commerce Minister Dr Amit Mitra will lead a delegation to the third China South Asia Business Forum and Expo to be held between June 11 and 16 at Kunming, China to showcase West Bengal as an investment-friendly state.

Promoting Bengal

The government would participate in the expo in a big way to showcase Bengal. The governor of Yunnan had earlier invited the West Bengal government officials to showcase the state in China.

The government will put up 28 stalls in the expo focusing on industry , tourism and food processing.

Dr Mitra will lead the state delegation along with senior officials of food processing, industries, tourism and micro, small and medium enterprises departments. WBIDC and industry representatives will also accompany him.

Bilateral ties

The state government is already working on a project to restore the old Chinatown in Tiretta Bazaar through preservation of the historic character of the place, by revitalizing the area into a street food hub and introducing a night market that could attract tourists from China to come and have a look at.

MoUs will also be signed between tour operators of Kunming and West Bengal that will help them exchange familiarization visits.

Already, the West Bengal Incentive Scheme 2015 has come into effect in consultation with travel and tour operators’ associations and industry stakeholders. Apart from usual incentives, provisions for granting tourism promotion assistance at the rate of 75% of VAT for five years and entitlement of additional floor area ratio for mega tourism units have come as a big boost to investment in the tourism sector.

Sister cities

Kolkata and Kunming are now dubbed as sister cities and there is already a direct flight between the two cities with flight timing of just over two hours. The frequency can also be raised.

This year, West Bengal tourism will be repositioned in the international and domestic tour and travel sector with a new brand logo. Having a state delegation led by the finance minister and senior bureaucrats and industrialists will only further help in showcasing the state in this sector.