A new report by the Merchants' chamber of commerce, attempts to provide a roadmap to the state's industrial resurgence based on real-life experiences of doing business in the state
Ever since the West Bengal government embarked on the path of liberalisation in 1991, it has commissioned various consultancy firms to prepare reports on the economic prospects of the state. Beginning with Arthur D'Little, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Partha s Ghosh & Associates and, more recently, McKinsey & co, Profesional help of the highest oredr has been garnered to chart the future course of industrialisation in the state.
However, when the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce (MCC) last month submitted a report to the state government on West Bengal's economy, most sections in the, industry and trade circles felt it was'different'.
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The chamber has prepared an in-house report without any professional help. The points diwelt within the report are distilled from the trails and expriences of seasoned businessmen, who have done business in the state all their lives.
Says the chamber president Ajay kajaria: "The report has been based on the feedback received from existing entrupreneurs in the state. It echoes the ground reality of doing business in the state.
The problems it has identified, if addressed, will create the much-needed & confidence among existing enterpreneurs, and at the same time attract fresh investment into the state".
He feels that if the specific suggestions were acted upon, hundreds of industrial units in the medium and small-scale sector with an investment range of Rs 1 crore to Rs 20 crore would rapidly come up, thereby creating employment opportunities for lakhs of people .
"Our stand is - let the mega projects come in. Since they have long gestation periods, meanwhile, give adequate fillip to medium and small-scale Industries, which will serve to strengthen the industrial base of the state", points out Kajaria.
Besides identifying the tremendous potential the state has in the port, leather and infotech sectors, the report stated that the chamber was ready to asist in proper development of infrastructure for some industries such as silk, garments, hosiery, Jewellery, agri-processing and plastic processing industry.
The report expresses concern over the traditional industries of the state such as tea and jute.
It has suggested a suitable policy-mix to reduce tax burden on the jute industry, encouragement for flexibility in labour deployment, and motivation of trade towards better productivity.
Similarly, to boost growth in the tea sector, legal titles of land bought by various tea companiesand small growers from recorded bargadars and ryots in Jalpaiguri, Dinajpur and Dooars are, as should be,regularised quickly.
It has suggested that proper guidelines should be laid down in this regard.
Some views in the MCC report however, differ radically on some issues from those expressed by international consultants McKinsey & Co, on the same subject turned in earlier this year.
In direct contrast to the essence of this McKinsey report which said that West Bengalneeded to define a compelling vision, the MCC report states that the state has got definite potential on three basis areas such as becoming a port city, an infotech capital of eastern India and the leather capital of the entire country.While the McKinsey report has not touched upon the potential of leather industry, the MCC report has gone into details about the industry. According to th