Manmohan supports WB's industrialisation efforts

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today backed Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's moves towards industrialisation.

In his address at the foundation stone laying ceremony for expansion at IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), he said the time had come for a new era of industrial development in West Bengal.

Singh's comments came at a time when Buddhadeb was drawing flak from the Opposition over land acquisition at Singur for the Tata Motors' small car project.

"I hope the expansion of this steel plant here in Burnpur will mark a new beginning for West Bengal. The state needs modern industries and the jobs that come with these," said Singh.

Indicating that the impact of industrialisation would be inclusive, Singh said, "Every section of society should gain from the spin-off benefits of industrialisation."

Singh recalled that West Bengal was in the vanguard of India's initial charge for industrial development.

"There was a time when the Bengal-Bihar coal and steel belt was expected to become the Ruhr Valley of India. The state, however, has fallen behind the more developed parts of the country on the industrial front in the last quarter century. It cannot continue to slip in this regard. It must join the march of progress and benefit from the rapid economic growth of the country," he said.

Speaking on the IISCO expansion, he said investment of more than Rs 9,500 crore at ISP would create large capacities and generate employment opportunities.

"It will greatly help in the industrial regeneration of this potentially vibrant region."

Speaking on the occasion, Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan announced that each of the 16,000 employees of ISP would be paid Rs 3,000.

Further, a committee had been formed to review the possibility of revival of the closed Kulti Works, which had been a target of disinvestment. Revival of Kulti by SAIL had been a long standing demand from the West Bengal government.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi also mooted that Kulti be included in the IISCO revival plan.

Paswan also announced a Rs 600 crore revival package for Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals which the Cabinet had approved on Friday.

Buddhadeb said the state had moved ahead in agriculture and now that should be repeated on the industry front as well.

According to him, West Bengal must have a mix of traditional and modern industries. "We need manufacturing, iron and steel, automobiles and knowledge-based industries," he said.