Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today requested the “captains of industries” to invest in West Bengal considering the good governance, credibility, potential and accountability in the state. She further said these factors would encourage them to invest here. Miss Banerjee said: “The entire economic situation in the country is gloomy but Bengal presents an exceptional case.

The GDP growth rate in the country in the second half of 2016-17 was 8.87 per cent but in 2019-20, the GDP has gone down to 4.5 per cent. There has been a dip in the industry growth rate in the entire country. The case is different in Bengal. Unemployment is currently the highest in India in the last 45 years but we are proud to announce that the unemployment rate has decreased by 40 per cent in West Bengal.

This is because there is ease in doing business in West Bengal.” She added: “When we took over governance eight years just after the Left Front rule, the business prospects in the state was bad. We have intentions to develop West Bengal as a business destination of the East. Our state has become the lifeline of business.”

She also asked the businessmen not to invest anywhere else in India as there is only “doom and gloom” everywhere but to invest in West Bengal as the government has “accountability, credibility, devotion and efficiency” to help industrialists to make further investments in the state. She said she has developed Digha and seven kilometres of Marine Drive Road will be ready by April next year along with two bridges that will connect Tajpur Port. She pointed out that industrial production in West Bengal is double that of the country as a whole and there is a six per cent decline in poverty.

The state fulfils all 187 parameters of ease of doing business in sectors like banking, MSME, e-tenders, steel development and others. She requested the industrialists to invest in the state. “If you show intention and integrity, then you have scope and hope for the future. West Bengal is the only place where you can do business with a smiling face,” the CM said.

She said: “Kolkata has become the international destination and industrialists can make the city their business hub. Persons can do business with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal. They can reach those destinations with only a half-hour flight journey from Kolkata. One can even do business in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore where one can get to within two-and-a-half- hour by flight from the city.

Kolkata is truly cosmopolitan by nature. Our strength is unity in diversity. Bengal gives a vision to all other states in the country. West Bengal has produced several Nobel laureates such as Mother Teresa to Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, but we have stayed humble. People of different caste, creed and religion, come here and stay.” Sources said that Tajpur Port is soon coming up.

Miss Banerjee said: “We have already invested Rs 39, 800 crores in hotel industry. We have eight crore domestic tourists and there is 135 per cent rise in the international passenger traffic especially at Bagdogra airport.” She said that Trinamul government has framed land use policy, land bank policy, synergy, IT, power bank policy. These factors have made the state a sought- after destination for industrialists, who can invest here.

She said: “Please invest in Bengal and we will give you full assistance. Invest your money for a better future.” Later in the day, Mr Amit Mitra, state industry and finance minister, announced that Mr Umesh Choudhury, an industrialist, will invest Rs 25,000 crores in Titagarh Wagon factory for manufacturing aluminium body metro coaches for Pune metro and will employ thousands of workers soon.

Businessman Harsh Neotia will set up a 100- room five star hotel in Digha. The chief minister also welcomed Bangladesh finance & industry minister and human resource minister of Bhutan to the meet. Both of them praised the state chief minister’s vision for industrialisation and also spoke about the development of the industrial sector in the state. This has enabled them to invest more in West Bengal, they said.