Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today launched two environment friendly and sustainable development projects paving the way for investment and employment generation.
Proposals for both the projects were received during the Digha business conclave in December 2019.
The first project is an effective waste management and sustainable development project for Bantala Leather Complex-Asia’s largest leather hub. A Dutch consortium signed an MoU with Calcutta Leather Complex Tanners’ Association, on conversion of solid waste to value added products at Bantala Leather Complex.
The second project is a 200 megawatt solar power project in East Midnapore. The German Bank KFW had submitted a proposal in this regard to the state government.
“The projects have been finalised in six months and the progress indicates that if there is a will there’s a way. All should take lessons from us. The uniqueness of the projects is that they are environment friendly. We are committed to environment friendly development. If nature and humanity are to be saved then we have to give attention to the environment and so the environment is our priority area. The state government is getting investments from all sectors. Bengal is already number one in MSME and steel,” said Ms Banerjee during a video conference from Nabanna.
Ambassadors of European Union, Netherlands, Italy, deputy ambassador of Germany, KFW Bank officials, state industry and finance minister Amit Mitra and senior state bureaucrats participated in the video conference.
Industry and finance minister Amit Mitra said that these are pan-European projects and a result of Ms Banerjee’s efforts at initiating the interest for collaboration during her foreign business tours. Mr Mitra said the project at Bantala Leather Complex will help in seamless export to Europe and the solar power project at East Midnapore will save 5,00,000 tonne of carbon emission.