West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was feeling the heat for her anti-industry stand, has got a fresh lease of life. A new Assocham report states that the state has seen investments worth over Rs 11,000 crore during the first six months of 2012.
As per the report prepared for the state government, in the year to June 2012, the state has attracted new investments worth Rs 11,000 crore and the state has got 900 live investments worth Rs 6.28 lakh crore now. Among these, the manufacturing sector has got the major share of 35.2 per cent, followed by electricity (32.8 per cent, services (16.3 per cent, mining 9.2 per cent and real estate (5.9 per cent).
Meanwhile, the state’s share is just 4 per cent of the overall national investments.
“The state attracted Rs 6.2 lakh crore, out of a total of Rs 139.8 lakh crore announced across the country,” the report said.
Though the investment in irrigation facilities increased by 24.7 per cent, its share in total live investments is less than 1 per cent. Banerjee, who was facing industry ire due to her land policies and Singur Bill, had earlier claimed that the state has seen investments worth Rs 100,000 crore since her government took charge last year.
The report, “Realising the growth potential of West Bengal,” will be submitted to the government by the end of this month.
“We are also giving solutions for all the problems faced by industries here including land ceiling, acquisition and power. Our focus in more on Small and medium enterprises and cluster development,” said D S Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham.
The industry body also urged the state for a better policy in manufacturing sector, specially for traditional handicrafts and other small scale industries.
However, contradicting the state policy against setting up of special economic zones (SEZs), Assocham batted for SEZs in port areas and setting up of joint ventures with private investors to develop ports in Kulpi, Tamralipta, Sagar Island and Digha.
