State Finance Minister Amit Mitra today claimed that the GDP growth rate in Bengal was 12.58 and that it was the highest as compared to other states in the country. Mr Mitra spoke in a video message he sent to the 7th North Bengal Conclave organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) here today, as he could not attend in person. The conclave focused on ‘Investment, Export Promotion and Logistics.’

To encourage entrepreneurs and industrialists here, Mr Mitra talked about the “huge potential” in this region, which connects other countries. Along with top officials of the West Bengal government, officials and diplomats from Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan also attended the conclave. While the Finance Minister also showcased Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her “struggle” against the NRC and CAA in the state and nationwide, his Cabinet colleague and Tourism Minister, Gautam Deb, pointed out how the state government, “considering no colour of the UPA or NDA,” keeps in touch with the Centre to bring in development, while Miss Banerjee also wrote several letters to the Centre. Officials spoke on how road connectivity has developed in north Bengal during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee and under the leadership of minister Gautam Deb.

Mr Deb also assured participants at the Conclave that the state would resolve the land problems very shortly and that the Airports Authority of India can begin its Rs 500 crore project to expand Bagdogra Airport. Describing the “enormous prospects” in the tourism sector in north Bengal, Mr Deb also said that his department was in search of land so that another of the chief minister’s dreams comes true. “To ready a second Darjeeling, we have selected a land at Rangbull near Sonada. My department is working on it,” he said.

CII chairman Anand Kumar Agarwala also interacted with top officials, including diplomats, and in response to a proposal from the Consul General, Consulate of Nepal, Kolkata, Eknarayan Aryal, he said that the CII would take initiatives to set up an immigration check post on the Indian side at Panitanki near Siliguri, as Nepal has already set up such a unit to stop illegal movement of people and goods. In the conclave, several speakers, including Joint Secretary of the Tourism Department Shanta Pradhan, and Joint Director and Deputy Secretary, Thendup N Sherpa, expressed their views on tourism in North Bengal and how they had been looking forward to 2020. Notably, Mr Aryal, First Secretary (Commercial) Deputy High Commission for Bangladesh, Kolkata, Md Shamsul Arif, Executive Director WBIDC, P Kamalakanth, Deputy Consul General, Consulate of Nepal in Kolkata, Tarak Taj Bhatta and others also spoke during the meeting.