Kolkata (West Bengal): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged industry barons to invest in the state which has a great potential for industrial growth.
“Bengal is moving ahead. We are the destination for businesses, farmers and the unemployed youth,” she said while addressing industry leaders at 5th Bengal Global Business Summit.
During the inaugural session, the state government signed MoUs with governments of Italy, Germany, and South Korea.
“We want India to grow, for every state to grow,” said Mamta, adding that the key for growth in industrial sector lies in the welfare of economically weaker sections of the society.
“If the downtrodden people are happy, industries will be happy. If farmers are happy, everyone will be happy,” she said.
Mamata said the TMC-led government has made remarkable achievements in the field of social reform. “When our government came to power in May 2011, institutional delivery was only 65 per cent. Within 7 years, we have achieved 98 per cent institutional delivery,” she said.
“It is not a matter of joke we give rice at Rs 2 per kg to everybody. Out of 10 crore people, we give it to 9 crore people at this rate.”
The Chief Minister said West Bengal provides free treatment to patients in government hospitals. “Be it for heart, liver or kidney transplants, all these and other treatments are done free of cost,” said Mamata.
She also said that West Bengal has given 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayat and municipal urban bodies. While there is a demand for 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament, elected representatives from Trinamool Congress constitute 34 per cent of the party’s strength in the Lok Sabha.
Mamata said that millions of girls in West Bengal have been given scholarships and child marriages have completely stopped. “We also give the scholarship to minorities, backward classes, and give every facility to downtrodden,” she said.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]