WB sings investment tune to US chamber

Chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, recently told members of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) that his sole aim was to bring investment into the state.

Responding to a request to visit the United States, Bhattacharya said, he would love to visit the country but, only to bring some investment in Bengal. "I want business" he said.

One of the members of the chamber suggested that country-related parks should be built in the state. The chief minister went to the extent of saying that he had already asked the Japanese in the state to takeover an island on the Bay of Bengal to build their own township. Japanese investment in West Bengal happened to be the highest among all other states.

Bhattacharya said, the state government was trying to attract American investment in the state, as well. In this context, he pointed out that IBM was planning to come up with another centre in Kolkata and Pepsico would invest in a potato processing factory.

He said that the state wanted private investment including foreign investment. "We are a late starter and therefore we have to move fast" he said.

While admitting the labour was an issue in the state, he said, with regard to the tea industry and crisis surrounding it, he had already communicated to the trade unions that productivity was not just the management's headache. A fact finding committee had been formed for the industry.

An Indonesian company was planning to set up a two-wheeler manufacturing facility in Kolkata.

The company, had apparently appointed McKinsey for carrying out a feasibility study.