West Bengal receives Rs 2.35 lakh cr investment proposals at business summit

Kolkata: West Bengal has received investment proposals worth Rs 2.35 lakh crore across sectors at the 3rd Global Bengal Business Summit held in Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday.

“I am glad to announce that the state has received Rs 2.35 lakh crore investment proposals at the summit,” she said at a plenary session on the concluding day of the two-day business event.

She said China had committed an investment of Rs 61,765 crore in manufacturing, Rs 50,710 in MSME, Rs 46,600 crore in urban development, Rs 38,810 crore in transport and Rs 27,000 crore for an elevated mass transit system.

Banerjee said that “Rs 2.35 lakh crore has already been committed. This is despite demonetisation and remonetisation”.

In the last two business meets, a total of Rs 4.93 lakh crore worth of investment proposals were received, out of which 40 per cent of those were under implementation. “This is quite commendable”.

“Instead of touting figures like Rs 50 lakh crore or Rs 60 lakh crore, the ultimate result is zero,” she quipped. “This is enough for us”.

Banerjee’s comment was an indirect reference to investment claims being made by some of the states during their business summits held in recent times.

For the first time, 29 foreign delegates participated, she said. “Bengal deserves business. Come to Bengal always,” she urged investors.

“Because of the misrule of the previous Left Front government, we are facing hardship. We’ll conquer the hardship,” she said.

PTI