Industry does not only mean heavy industry, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Mar 23 (KNN) Industry does not only mean heavy industry, Bengal leads in terms of bank loans given to the MSME sector, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee said this in an interview. West Bengal is all set to go for Assembly Elections next month.

“Four hydel projects are coming up in north Bengal. NTPC is investing in Katwa plant. A new power plant is coming up at Sagardighi. India’s largest coal block Deocha Pachami will create huge employment opportunities. The days of load shedding are gone. Isn’t this a matter of pride?,” she said.

She said that the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) led government in the state has ensured job security of contractual and casual government employees.

“The Centre has stopped funding ICDS, Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan and several other schemes. Yet we are funding these projects,” she said.

Alleging that the Centre has not passed down the price of falling petrol prices to the consumers, she said, “Global petrol prices had become cheaper than water. But the Centre did not pass on the benefit to common people. Centre has stopped funds for Jangalmahal development. But, we started Jangalmahal Integrated Development Programme.”

The amount of work we have done in the last four and half years is unmatched in India, Banerjee said adding that the growth rate of Bengal (12.2%) is far ahead of India (7.3%).

Growth of industrial sector in Bengal is 10.5% while that of India is 7%. Growth in service sector in Bengal is 13% and that of India is 9%. The Economic Survey of Government of India says the lowest inflation in India is that of Bengal, she pointed. (KNN Bureau)