Mamata may need to conjure up resources to woo big-ticket projects

The words ‘industry’, ‘industrial development’, ‘jobs’, and ‘employment’ have been ringing with higher frequency since Mamata Banerjee stepped into her third term with landslide victory after a high-octane election last year.

“Our government’s next target is industrial development,” the chief minister (CM) had been heard stating at different public meetings in the past few months — perhaps setting the tone for the sixth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) slated for later this month.

Investor summits by any state are about intent, big numbers, and tall claims. Yet in competitive federalism, its importance as a marketing tool is undeniable.

The business