Bengal business meet nets over Rs 2 lakh cr investment proposals

Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) The two-day Bengal Global Business Summit organised by the state government has received investment proposals worth Rs 2,35,290 crore, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced here on Saturday.

Addressing delegates on the concluding day of the meet, Banerjee said the manufacturing sector netted investment commitment of Rs 61,765 crore.

Among other major sectors, MSME attracted business proposals of Rs 50,710 crore, urban development got Rs 46,600 crore and transport Rs 38,801 crore.

"Despite demonetisation, a sum of Rs 2,35,290 crore has been committed during the summit," Banerjee said.

"This figure, at this juncture, in this situation is enough," Banerjee said.

She said during the previous two summits in 2015 and 2016 the state received over Rs 4.93 lakh crore of investment proposals, of which over 40 percent are in the implementation stage.

"Out of that, already over 40 percent has been implemented. It takes time to implement the projects," she said.

In the third edition of the summit, Chinese delegation committed investments of Rs 27, 200 crore for building up elevated mass rapid transit while Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state-run West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation for setting up a green city.

Banerjee said Norway showed interest in the maritime sector while the delegation from Italy expressed their keenness for projects in leather and manufacturing categories.

She also said the Chinese delegation evinced interest in infrastructure and manufacturing while delegates from Japan were keen on participating in a drinking water project.

Terming the summit as "super successful", Banerjee once again urged the industrialists to invest in Bengal.

"If you invest in Bengal, you can develop industries in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and north eastern states. You can also develop industries in Thailand, Myanmar and Singapore which are not far way from Bengal."