Bengal to take part in Milan Asia Week

West Bengal is set to be come a partner state for the forthcoming Asia Week at Milan, in Italy.

Nirupam Sen, minister for commerce and industry, government of West Bengal, will lead a team of businessmen and entrepreneurs to Italy during this period to showcase investment prospect and cultural heritage of the state.

During the trip, the minister along with principal secretary Sabyasachi Sen, and Gopal Krishna, managing director of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), will focus on forging alliances in leather, gems and jewellery and food processing sectors.

The West Bengal delegation will comprise sector like tea (in collaboration with Tea Board of India), jute (with National Council for Jute Diversification), jewellery (Anjali Jewellers), hotels (Oberoi), leather (Trio Trend and Creative Products), handicrafts (with the help of the Development Commissioner, Handicrafts and NGOs including Offer and Round Table).

"We will travel to different areas in Italy where cluster for such industries have developed. We will go to Florence, Alexandria, Parma, Valenza and Vichenza for leather, food processing and gems and jewellery sectors respectively," Gopal Krishna said.

Asia Week will also offer opportunity to showcase the cultural complexities of the state.

Notable dancer Tanushree Shankar, fashion designer Sabysachi Mukherjee would also participate with their creation. Along with India and West Bengal, the other participating countries are Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

Andrea Bonardi, secretary general of Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said West Bengal and Kolkata in particular used to have a shabby image among Italians for its association with Mother Teresa. "Even though she did a great job, the perception created that Kolkata and West Bengal is land of poor. This image needs to be changed and it is changing. Still we need to work hard to make a positive impact," he said.

Now that West Bengal has become a Partner State in Asia Week in Milan, to start from September 25, would dispel many misconceptions, he added. Following Italy, the minister will visit Middle East (Dubai) for investor relations.