Thaindian News

Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday urged industrialists and officials to speed up the industrialisation process in the state and not to cite governmental bottlenecks for delays.

“Every minute is important. Take the decisions immediately. I don’t want to hear that the paper has gone to this department or that department…it will take seven days or that many days. I don’t like this business. I like to do it immediately. If you can do it, then do it or else move aside,” Banerjee said sternly.

“If there is a problem, sort it out. If there is lack of infrastructure, then create one. I don’t mind. Whatever lacunae are there, need to be discussed, including your expectations. The finance and the industry ministry must be prompt in their decisions and implementation,” said the chief minister while addressing a meeting with industrialists here.

Banerjee said her government has decided to set up a cell l under the finance ministry for speedy implementation of project proposals. “With this, they wouldn’t have to go door to door asking for electricity, water, and other things and that will save them from unnecessary harassment.”

She also said that her government would stick to its principle of not forcibly grabbing land for any industrial project.

“We need to expand our industry but there is no need for huge land purchase. We can do it on whatever land we have and also share with West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC - the nodal agency for industrialisation).”

“However, we must realise that we cannot forcefully acquire land for the projects. Land is scarce and it needs to be properly purchased for setting up of industries.”

Banerjee also invited the industrialists to chalk out plans for improving the state’s industrial scenario.

“It is always better to contemplate what is to be done, what are the problems, what is the situation and discuss the modalities to change the present industrial scenario in the state. West Bengal was once a leader in the industrial sphere. We need to take the state to that place,” she said.

The chief minister also urged the entrepreneurs to restart stalled projects and asked Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee to arrange a meeting to sort out the problems.

“Many a project is lying idle. They have not been completed. So, I urge them to do the needful. Land acquired by many is lying idle. I request you to start setting up projects there,” she said.

The chief minister urged the entrepreneurs to make Bengal an IT hub, and noted the sector could generate large-scale employment for the youth.

“The youth here are leaving for abroad because we don’t have better infrastructure here. We cannot let our talent go and serve other countries. We need to expand; we need to have an IT hub in every district”.

Banerjee said the tourism sector also had to be developed as it has lot of potential in the state which is dotted with rivers, sea, mountains, the world’s largest mangrove forest Sunderbans and even Junglemahal (the forested stretches of the three western districts Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore).

The chief minister said from geographic to economic point of view, West Bengal has the potential to become an industry major. “But because of some problems we have not been able to achieve our goals. But we need to achieve them soon.”

She urged the industrialists to set up hardware and software projects in the Darjeeling hills as the conditions there were perfectly suited for the sector.