Kolkata: The Bengal government is developing a new industrial policy aimed at attracting fresh investments and addressing key challenges that have hindered industrialisation in the state for the past couple of decades, commerce and industry minister Tapas Roy said on Wednesday.
The proposed policy is expected to focus on improving the ease of doing business, facilitating faster project implementation, and creating a more investor-friendly ecosystem. Roy stated that the government is keen to eliminate existing bottlenecks and position Bengal as a preferred destination for both domestic and foreign investments.
“We are working on a new industrial policy that will cover key aspects such as land, incentives for industries, and a single-window clearance system. I will discuss the proposed policy with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari tomorrow. We are committed to restoring Bengal’s old industrial glory,” Roy said.
Observing that states across the country are engaged in intense competition to attract investments by offering financial incentives and other benefits, the minister said Bengal would also have to provide competitive incentives to draw industries and boost fresh investments. “We are inviting industrialists to invest in Bengal as well as urging existing industries in the state to further expand here,” he added.
Mentioning that 6,688 industries left the state during the regime of the previous Trinamool Congress government, he vowed to bring them back to Bengal. “We will leave no stone unturned for the industrialisation of Bengal. We will identify and remove all impediments on the path of industrialisation on a war footing,” Roy said.
Stating that the change in government in Bengal has created a positive sentiment among investors, he mentioned that 45-47 industrialists have contacted him in the last few days. The minister has also instructed the commerce and industry department to submit department-wise data on the status of announcements made in the eight Bengal Global Business Summits during the previous Trinamool Congress government.
“I have asked for detailed data on the number of MoUs, total amount of investment, and the implementation status, including how many announcements fructified as well as the projects that didn’t take off,” Roy added.
Asked whether he would personally visit Mumbai to meet the Tata Group’s top leadership and persuade them to make more investment in Bengal, Roy said, “Our party’s senior leadership is actively looking into the matter. CM may visit, and if he asks me to accompany him, I will do so.”
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