Kalyani Analytics Hub raises industry hope

Kalyani Analytics Hub raises industry hope

Posted on June 20, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The proposed analytics city in Kalyani is likely to attract investments of more than Rs 3,000 crore in next three years. In the first phase, being developed over 52 acres off Kalyani Expressway, the hub will accommodate academic, residential and commercial centers apart from real estate projects.

According to Kallol Dutta, the immediate past president of BCCI, the original plan is to set it up on 250 acres. In that case, the investment will go up to Rs 6,000 crore.

Holistic solution to consumers

While MNCs in the field of banking, insurance, retail, telecom and automotive industries have in-house data and analytics facilities, there is no analytic hub that can provide holistic solution to analytics consumers. While a number of small boutique analytics service providers have come up in the country, the state is looking at bringing the majors under one umbrella.

With research facilities being proposed inside the city, there are proposals to tie up with the education institutions. Apart from universities in the country, efforts are on to tie up with foreign universities. Apart from organizing road shows, chief minister Mamata Banerjee will showcase the project during her visit to London.

Data and analytics, which require strong science, puts India in an advantageous position with a ready talent pool. “We have a large talent pool in Bengal who work in other cities. The analytics city will have access to the talent pool available within the state,” Sen said.

Excerpted from a story that appeared on The Times of India on 20.06.2015

Industry-related problems to be solved within 60 days: Dr Amit Mitra

Posted on June 15, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal Finance and Industry Minister Dr Amit Mitra presided over the first ever meeting of the South Bengal Industrial Core Committee at Asansol on Saturday, 14 June. Held at the ICAI Bhavan in Asansol, the meeting discussed more than 70 problems related to industry.

During the meeting, Dr Mitra, solved 95% of the problems related to land, license, water, power and pollution on the spot. The Minister urged the District Magistrates of the nine South Bengal districts present at the meet that all problems regarding industry must be solved within 15 to 60 days.

The Finance and Industry Minister said that the transparency in industry related works is better than any other country in the world, especially China. The State Government is now moving at a fast pace to set up the infrastructure of the Kharagpur and Panagarh industrial parks.

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.

Major boost to leather industry in Bengal

Posted on June 9, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

International shoe brands Clarks, Hush Puppies and Caterpillar will soon be manufactured in Bengal with Farida Group from Chennai, the country’s largest footwear company, setting up a unit at Gosaipur in South Dinajpur, which will churn out 3,000 pairs of branded shoes a day.

Major boost to leather industry

Announcing the entry of three leather majors into Bengal, State Finance Minister Amit Mitra pitched it as a major boost to the leather industry here.

Dr Mitra also assured industry members present at the meeting with him that he would look into the issue of VAT refund on exported leather.

Employment generation

Leather Training Institute, run by Indian Leather Products Association (ILPA) and the state technical education department, are also set to sign a memorandum of understanding to train 5,000 people over the next year and a half. Till now, LTI had trained only 300 people. Following the training, the men will be absorbed in leather units.

Investments pouring in

Farida Group chairman Rafeeque Ahmed said that the unit would begin commercial production by the end of the year. When the unit begins full-fledged operation, it will have a 3,000-strong, all-women workforce.

Two other shoe majors—UP-based Super House and Allana Sons from Mumbai—are also in the process of finalizing investment in the state.

Hinduja praises WB CM’s industry initiatives

Posted on June 9, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Gopichand Hinduja has heaped praise on West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee for her determination to attract industry in Bengal.

In an interview to a popular daily, he said WB CM “is trying hard to attract industry and investment to her state.”

“She is a good leader and has a clean image. I am certain she will become Chief Minister again after this term ends. Her intentions are clear – she wants to attract industry into Bengal,” he added.

Hinduja, who has a strong foothold in Bengal with the presence of Ashok Leyland, Hinduja Leyland finance and IndusInd Bank, had encouraging words for finance minister Dr Amit Mitra as well. “The finance minister knows how reforms can benefit the state,” he said.

“Mamata Banerjee is one of India’s prominent political leaders. Prime Minister David Cameron must meet her,” he added.

In fact, WB CM could become the first high level politician from India to meet David Cameron after his recent reelection as Britain’s PM.

WB CM will be in UK from July 26-30. This will be her second foreign visit as the chief minister of Bengal.

Industrial units in Bengal to get faster green nod

Posted on June 8, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The State Environment department has made the green clearance process for new industrial units simpler and faster. Now, a unit of the green range category will receive environment clearance within 15 days and those falling in the red category within a maximum of 60 days.

According to guidelines, industrial units in the country are categorized as green, orange and red, depending on the levels of pollution they generate. Those under the red category produce the maximum pollution and the green ones the least.

Till now, even the green establishments take at least 120 days to receive environment clearance. “To speed up the process, green-category units will get clearance within 15 days, orange units in 30 days and red category units, which will need stricter inspection than the others, a maximum of 60 days. Applications can be submitted online and the sanction will also be given online, after a physical inspection. This will help the units come up faster in the state.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), along with the forest department, is also working on a plantation programme in the industrial towns of Asansol and Haldia and in Jangalmahal districts, to increase the green cover there. For that, areas most affected due to sponge iron units have been identified.

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.

Bengal Tourism gears up for new look

Posted on June 2, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee will not only promote West Bengal as an industry-friendly state during her London visit, she also plans to showcase the state as an attractive tourist destination.

New logo

The State Tourism Department has come up with a new brand logo for tourism and a new promotional campaign is in the pipeline that will be made keeping the international audience in mind. All kinds of initiatives to promote Bengal as a tourist destination is being taken.

The earlier brand name that the tourism department had created -`Beautiful Bengal’ -has been changed and the same will now be named, `Experience Bengal -Sweetest Part of India’.

The duration of the new promotional film is 30 to 40 seconds. It will be aired nationally. The shooting will start in July. The tourism department had earlier roped in internationally reputed brand consulting agency to develop a new brand concept for Bengal tourism.

Promoting Bengal

The tourism department has been giving much stress to showcase the state’s tourist spots through social media. Already, the tourism department’s Facebook page has crossed three lakh `likes’ and is now positioned at number three, in term of `likes’, among Indian states.

The tourism department has already participated in various international tourism fairs like ITB Berlin and ITB Singapore to showcase Bengal. The state government is planning to have road shows in countries like USA, Canada, China and Australia to promote West Bengal as a tourist destination.

Increased tourist footfall

The tourist footfall, including both domestic and foreign, almost doubled from 26792502 in 2013 to 50415685 visitors in 2014.

The Chief Minister has been giving priority to tourism. From a meager budgetary allocation of Rs 44 crore in 2011, the budget provision for tourism this year has been raised to Rs 211 crore.

According to figures, West Bengal is now the sixth preferred destination for international tourists and ranks ninth among the states in respect of domestic tourist inflow.

Apart from the ongoing initiatives to set up eco tourism hubs in several places, the department is exploring the opportunities of developing leisure tourism in upcoming tourist destinations like Gangasagar. Plans are also on cards to develop eco-tourism on PPP mode, tea tourism and invest in adventure and beach sports.

Business made easy in Bengal: WB CM

Posted on June 1, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The chief minister’s office (CMO) organised a meeting with leading industry bodies and captains at Town Hall today. The basic talking point of the Town Hall meeting was “Business made easy in Bengal”.

Faster clearances

At the meeting, the Chief Minister announced that the state government will issue provisional certificate of clearance for projects within 15 days. She also announced that trade licenses issued in urban areas will now be required to be renewed every three years – she asked officials to make it 5 years – instead of one year.

The West Bengal Government said that mutation of land for industrial units could be done within three weeks and the land conversion could now be allowed a month. In an integrated initiative, the State has simplified much of the paper work and processes for setting up businesses in the State.

“We want healthy competition among companies in Bengal for more investment. We have started MSME assistance centres in every district. We have started e-VAT system,” she said.

Through amendments of relevant laws and time-bound commitment for clearances, the State government has on Monday said it ushered in easy ways of doing business.

The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured business community that right from issuing trade licenses to sanctioning of building plans, every statutory sanction was to be delivered within prescribed timeline of between 15 to 30 days.

Stress on e-governance

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Amit Mitra, State Finance and Industry Minister, said, “WB CM took the initiative to use IT as a tool for governance. Bengal received award in e-governance for revenue and Kanyashree. Using IT as a tool for distributing benefits to girls registered under Kanyashree is a vision of WB CM.”

He added that Bengal is the only State in India to have a full e-treasury and all payments are made through e-process. He said the government was implementing Integrated Financial Management System.

The Chief Minister asked investors to invest in the seven upcoming theme townships at Asansol-Durgapur, Kalyani, Bolpur, Siliguri, Domjur, Baruipur. She also highlighted that the government has initiated a project worth Rs 37,000 crore to boost the textile sector.

Ease of doing business

Flanked by Ministers and Bureaucrats, the Chief Minister announced that from now on self-certification and self-attestation would be allowed in all transactions with the Government.

Some 400 relationship managers, newly appointed by the industrial development wings would facilitate businesses. Among other measures is the exemption from pollution control certificates in case of new electricity connection. As a commitment towards the right to services, the State will issue within 15 days “no-objection” certificate for building plan under the West Bengal Town Country (Planning and Development) Act. “If it is not issued within 15 days, then it would considered as deemed to be approved,” said Amit Mitra, State’s Finance Minister.

In case of industrial estates or parks, State government industrial development arms such as WBIDC, WBSIDC, WBIIDC and Webel have been delegated the power to sanction building plan for industrial units.