Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, is interested in investing in West Bengal, according to the state government."Mukesh Ambani has sent two proposals: setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) and an agri-retail chain across the state, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said, at a felicitation function organised by different chambers of commerce and trade bodies, here today.Ambani is likely to visit the West Bengal and meet the chief minister in the third week of June.Announcing a slew of proposed investments in the state - including a downstream project from Sajjan Jindal, a chemical hub to be partnered by IOC and Mitsubishi's Rs 1,600 crore second phase of expansion- Bhattacharya said, a number of projects are also likely to come up on the infrastructure front. The Planning Commission has floated a tender for studying the feasibility of a deep sea port in West Bengal. A global tender been floated for a mass rapid transit system also. Moreover, the state government had engaged a consultant for studying the feasibility of a greenfield airport which would be managed by private companies. An expressway from Barasat bypassing Kolkata was also in the offing.The ambitious plans for beefing up infrastructure were aimed at creating a climate conducive to attracting more investments, Bhattacharya said.Reliance Retail, the wholly owned retail arm of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, is planning to create hi-tech 'mandis' in rural West Bengal as a part of its retail business in the state. The company would pursue a two fold strategy for its retail business in West Bengal, agriculture procurement and retail malls. A three-member team of RRL accompanied by Bengal Ambuja group chairman Harsh Neotia met the state chief secretary Amit Kiran Dev today.Reliance is keen to create agri-product procurement hubs in the villages through local 'mandis'. The hi-tech 'mandis' would not only procure foodgrains from the farmers but would also help the farmers to increase productivity. The company will not only create infrastructure but will give technical help to farmers on items like agricultural machinery. The state agriculture department would coordinate with RRL for the hitech 'mandi' venture, Sabyasachi Sen, industry secretary for West Bengal, said.Sen said that besides 'mandis', Reliance Retail was also interested to set up retail malls in the state. "It has proposed to set up retail malls in Kolkata and other district headquarters," he added. According to Sen, RRL said in its presentation that 50% of the products to be sold through Reliance retail malls would be food products. Reliance Retail recently submitted technical bids for two real estate projects in Asansol and Durgapur, among the fastest growing towns in the eastern region.When contacted, a Reliance spokesperson only said that it was looking at West Bengal positively for its retail business.
