CII begins district-wise roadmap to unlock North Bengal’s economic potential

In order to attract greater investment in North Bengal, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), North Zonal Council, has launched a district-specific initiative to identify the economic strengths and growth potential of the region.

The CII District Council comprising Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur held a comprehensive review meeting at Raiganj, the headquarters of North Dinajpur, on Saturday.

Advertisement

Members from the three districts deliberated on their respective economic strengths, existing resources and sector-specific opportunities, while also reviewing the provisions made for the region in the state Budget. The meeting focused not only on the present Budget but also on preparing a long-term roadmap for the 2027-28 state Budget.

Based on the discussions, CII will prepare a detailed report over the next two to three months containing policy recommendations, which will be submitted to the West Bengal government for consideration in the next Budget.

The recommendations are expected to focus primarily on increasing investment, encouraging MSME-led industrialisation, creating employment opportunities and strengthening the rural economy across the three districts.

Among the key issues discussed was the revival of the Raiganj Spinning Mill and the handloom and textile sector, which has traditionally provided livelihoods to thousands of people in the region.

The meeting also stressed the need to strengthen Malda’s globally acclaimed silk industry and promote exports of the district’s famous mangoes.

Discussions centred on developing maize-based starch manufacturing under the MSME sector, expanding fisheries, improving horticulture, and encouraging farmers to produce higher-quality crops through modern practices.

Members emphasised the need to develop the Kulik Bird Sanctuary at Raiganj into a world-class destination for bird watchers and international tourists. They also discussed the commercial potential of traditional products such as Makhana from Malda and North Dinajpur and the famous Tulaipanji rice of Raiganj, with the aim of ensuring better market access and higher returns for farmers.

The meeting further explored the possibility of developing the region as a logistics hub, given its strategic location along the national highway corridor connecting North Bengal with the rest of the country.

Participants observed that despite serving as a major transit route for decades, the region has remained largely neglected in terms of industrial development.

CII North Bengal Zonal Council Chairman Satish Mitruka said the Malda-North Dinajpur-South Dinajpur corrido, ‘heart of West Bengal’, possesses immense untapped potential and requires a coordinated development strategy.

“The objective is to unlock the strengths of each district and place them on the state’s development agenda. We believe this is a step towards ‘Sonar Bangla’,” Mitruka said.