WB gets investment proposal worth Rs 72.516 cr from 234 medium and large scale units

Kolkata, July 2 (KNN) West Bengal has got the investment proposals from 234 medium and large scale units which together amount for a whopping Rs. 72,516 crore, said West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

He was highlighting the investment figures and projects-in-pipeline to depict a changing industrial climate in the state.

While replying to a budgetary debate in the assembly, Mitra said that the Global Business Summit in 2015 drew investment proposals of Rs 2,43,100 crore of which Rs 94,380 crore are at an operational state. The 2016 summit saw a commitment of Rs 2, 50,254 crore. Inspite of the polls – and model code of conduct – Rs 24,924 crore of it is at an operational state.

He also said 2,600 acres identified in Purulia’s Raghunathpur as an industrial park would be the site for an integrated manufacturing and production hub figuring in the Amritsar-Kolkata dedicated hi-speed freight corridor.

Referring to July 2015 central data, he claimed that industrial growth in Bengal was higher than many states, including Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

“The state has been scaling up infrastructure requirements like connectivity, water, transportation and power back-up at the Industrial Parks to make them viable destinations for investment”, Said the Minister adding that Haldia, Asansol and Kharagpur were pulled out from red zone, else it could have been detrimental,” he said. The red zone refers to Central Pollution Control Board’s identified zones where industrial activities were banned due to environmental concerns. (KNN Bureau)