UK and Bengal sign 21 MoUs

UK and Bengal sign 21 MoUs

Posted on July 28, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

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.

Bengal growth story not highlighted on national scale: Amit Mitra

Posted on July 27, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Interview of Dr Amit Mitra, Hon’ble Industries & Finance Minister, West Bengal

Q: Is Bengal suffering from a perception issue?

Dr Mitra: Bengal’s reality has changed a lot. It is not being shown on national scale. Bengal’s GDP is growing at 10%. The state is surging ahead in every field, be it agriculture, services or industry. Our slogan is “Come to Bengal, Ride the growth”.

Q: Is WB Govt suffering from communication issue?

Dr Mitra: Media channels are the main source of communication. Some local media channels do not want to show the Bengal growth story.

Q: What is the sales pitch of Bengal in UK?

Dr Mitra: We will highlight all the macroeconomic parameters. Investment proposals worth Rs 84000 crore are already underway. If you take our statistics that I have submitted in the State Legislative Assembly, there will be a lot of heads turning.

Changi airport and SAIL are taking up projects which will not only help in infrastructure but also generate employment. We have land in 38 industrial parks. 4500 acres of land are ready for industries. All departments together have 100000 acres of land which can be put to judicious use.

We have an analytics park coming up at Kalyani. AIIMS-like hospital and several universities in the pipeline too. All this is coming up on government land. We have cleared 7500 acres of private land which is vested and already in the market. The largest technology park of the Central Govt is coming up in Kolkata.

Five tea estates belonging to State Government, which were lying closed for a long time, have been given out in transparent, competitive manner. The transition of the tea estates also saw 100% employee retention. Haldia Petrochemicals is receiving 95% capacity even as stake sale process is underway.

We have applied our minds and are moving ahead at a fantastic pace regarding the issue of land and SEZ. Research shows that SEZs are not sustainable in India which have become a playground for real estate.

Bengal is a power-surplus State now. NTPC is taking up power projects in the State. Bengal is water-surplus State, thanks to the Jal Dharo Jal Bharo project.

The MoUs that will be signed in London are across the board and will encompass all major small and large industries.

Q: Will you change your FDI policy?

Dr Mitra: We will not change our policy. Let me be clear because it is our commitment to the people. We have a mall in the heart of Kolkata which is the highest rated mall in India. So who is against business houses setting up shop? We welcome companies to enter Bengal.

We have eased the process of doing business. One of the biggest problems was mutation. WB CM has put a 30 days limit for the process.

West Bengal Government received award from Central Govt for e-taxation. We are the only State in India to go cheque-free in taxation.

Kanyashree is a revolutionary programme where 22 lakh girls have been registered for financial assistance to pursue education and got appreciation from United Nations as well.

Elite panel to shape Institute of Public Health

Posted on July 25, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

An enviable ensemble of academics -led by Amartya Sen and belonging to iconic institutes like MIT, University College London and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine -will now help set up and shape Bengal’s first Institute of Public Health.

West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will give shape to the ambitious project, which is expected to come up in Kalyani, during her upcoming maiden visit to the UK. An MoU will be signed between the state and the top British institutions and academics on Monday.

Mamata Banerjee has handpicked the illustrious governing body of the institute. Apart from Sen, the panel will include former health secretary of India Sujatha Rao, Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee from MIT, Grant Miller from Stanford School of Public Health and Michael Mermet from University College London.

Bengal products on China shelves

Posted on June 12, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

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

Posted on June 11, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

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.

Projects worth Rs 91000 Cr started in Bengal in 2015: Amit Mitra

Posted on June 10, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Rejecting the opposition’s allegations of deteriorating and slow industrial growth in the state, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra Monday said projects worth Rs 91,230 crore have been started in the four months of 2015.

Of the total projects initiated, Rs 32,000 crore is in power sector and Rs 47,000 crore in manufacturing and transport, Mitra informed the Assembly during his reply for approval of grants for Commerce and Industry department.

The projects had started within four months of the Global Bengal Summit where MoUs worth Rs 2.34 lakh crore were signed, he added.

Informing the House on the ongoing previously announced projects, he said 435 industrial projects had been either implemented or under implementation.

He added that 224 investment proposals are in the pipeline, entailing an investment of Rs 1.14 lakh crore.

Opposition members of the House had leveled allegations of slow industrial progress under the current government, contradicting industrial output data besides charging the government of being a mute spectator to closing of jute mills and tea gardens, among others.

Amit Mitra to lead Team Bengal at China expo

Posted on June 3, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

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.