The Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MMCCI) has written to the chief secretary of West Bengal, urging the inclusion of Malda in the state’s upcoming industrial policy.
Welcoming the chief minister’s move to draft a new, inclusive policy aimed at attracting investments and supporting long-time stakeholders, MMCCI president Ujjal Saha outlined several key suggestions to boost industrial growth in Malda and surrounding areas.
The Chamber pointed out the steady growth of MSME units in the district and stressed the need for another industrial park to support new enterprises. It also renewed its longstanding demand to reclassify Malda as a “D” zone under the state capital investment subsidy scheme (SCISS), similar to the neighbouring districts of Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur.
The letter also highlighted Malda’s cultural and historical significance, with sites like Gour, Adina, Pandua, Jagjivanpur, and Madnaboti drawing both domestic and international visitors. MMCCI called for the creation of a tourism hub in the district through the West Bengal State Tourism Corporation.
To further support local industries, the Chamber recommended waiving the agricultural marketing tax on silk cocoons, plywood, and other agro-based commodities and finished products. It also proposed setting up a truck parking zone at Narayanpur, near the Phase A and Phase B industrial parks, to improve logistics.
The MMCCI expressed hope that these suggestions would be considered in the new policy to make it more inclusive, regionally balanced, and focused on employment generation.