West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari Unveils Industry Push, Prioritises Jobs and Investment
Chief Minister highlights industrial policy reforms, infrastructure expansion and investment proposals while addressing employment generation at Dakuni event.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday described West Bengal as a major investment destination for industrialists and businesses, stating that the state aims to reclaim its position as one of India's leading industrial centres.
The Chief Minister was addressing the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a ₹600 crore knitwear manufacturing unit at Dankuni in Hooghly district. He was accompanied by West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, Industry Minister Tapas Roy, Health Minister Sharadwar Mukherjee, and Transport Minister Arjun Singh.
Adhikari said the state government would support businesses and would not allow a repeat of the disputes associated with industrial projects in Singur and Nandigram.
He said West Bengal was working to strengthen its position as an industrial destination through policy reforms, infrastructure expansion and coordination with the BJP-led Central Government. According to him, the investment climate had changed significantly following the change in government.
Speaking on law and order, Adhikari said action had been taken against cash syndicates, extortion, bullying and politically backed activities. He stated that industrial areas, including Dankuni, had witnessed improvements in the business environment.
Addressing investors, Adhikari said:
"An industry-friendly, business-friendly environment is created only when law and order is sound. In this regard, this government was, is and will remain with industrialists, investors and businessmen. Do not worry even a bit. Once or two small incidents occurred, but we took action immediately."
The Chief Minister said attracting fresh investment was important for improving the state's finances. Referring to the Lux Cozi project, he said the ₹600 crore investment would create 9,000 jobs and generate nearly ₹1,000 crore in annual revenue for the state.
On employment, Adhikari stated that government recruitment alone would not resolve unemployment. He said the state would provide one lakh government jobs based on merit while private investment and ancillary industries would generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities.
He also referred to Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mudra Yojana, Swarozgar Yojana, Khadi Board schemes, and subsidies and loans available to entrepreneurs and MSMEs.
Discussing industrial policy, Adhikari said the state government would comprehensively revise the land ceiling policy and implement the 2013 Land Purchase Policy to facilitate direct purchase of land for industries. Under the proposed framework, the state would acquire land directly from owners and transfer it to investors for approved industrial projects.
The Chief Minister also announced that several major investment proposals were under consideration. He said the foundation stone for Shyam Steel's proposed ₹15,000-crore project at Mejia in Bankura would be laid on 17 July in the presence of the Union Home Minister.
He further stated that a large Amul dairy plant at Dhulagari in Howrah would commence operations this month, while a ₹4,000-crore expansion of a steel plant in Durgapur was scheduled to begin in early August.
Adhikari also highlighted proposed infrastructure projects, including the Tajpur airport, operationalisation of airports at Kalaikunda and Balurghat, new airports at Malda and Purulia, the proposed seaports at Dadanpatra and Kulpi in South 24 Parganas, the Dankuni–Ludhiana freight rail corridor, and the proposed Netaji Marg National Highway connecting Siliguri with Kolkata.