Amid renewed efforts to attract investment to West Bengal, State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta and Industries Minister Tapas Roy held a meeting with eminent economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. The meeting took place on Sunday over lunch at a restaurant in south Kolkata.
According to sources from the administration, the discussion centred on industrial development, fresh investments and employment generation in the state.
Since assuming office, the new state government has prioritised industrialisation and investment. Berger Paints has already announced an investment of Rs 600 crore in West Bengal, while the Peerless Group has proposed investments exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. Amul has also announced plans to invest nearly Rs 650 crore in the state.
The government believes these projects will boost industrial growth and create significant employment opportunities in the state.
Dasgupta claimed that extortion, syndicate culture and unnecessary interference have long been major impediments to business in the state. He said the government is preparing legislation to curb such practices and ensure a secure and business-friendly environment for investors.
Roy stressed that expanding employment opportunities in the private sector is as important as government recruitment. He said the government is making sustained efforts to attract large-scale investments with the objective of creating more opportunities for the youth of West Bengal.
The state government maintains that while several investment proposals were announced in the past, many failed to materialise. The present administration, it said, is committed to restoring West Bengal’s image as an industry-friendly destination by rebuilding investor confidence and facilitating economic growth.