HOPES GALORE AT NORTH BENGAL INDUSTRY MEET 2015

By Pradiptamay Saha (TNI Siliguri) ~ Edited By R. Subrata (TNI Siliguri)

Webdesk, TNI Siliguri, 19^th January, 2015: Just few hours back the North Bengal Industry Meet, 2015 has ended up. For the first time North Bengal Industry Meet in such specificity was organized here according to the organizers i.e. Department of North Bengal Development, Department of MSME and Textiles of West Bengal Government, CII and West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) that too in the presence of Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee. The venue was ‘Uttorkanya’, the secretariat house of North Bengal was decorated with a much industry specific requirement. The event started at 04:00 PM and ended at 06:00 PM. After the official candle lighting a video on Global Business Summit 2015, Kolkata was shown to portray the interest of delegates presented over there. From industry, Mr. Harsh Neotia (Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group), Mr. Kamal Mittal (Chairman of PCM Group), Mr. Mayank Jalan (Managing Director of Keventer Agro Ltd.), Mr. Pradip Pandey (Head of Eastern Region, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd), Mr. Naresh Agarwal (Star Cement) gave short speeches to mention the positive ambience felt by them in North Bengal and conveyed their praise for Govt. of West Bengal, specifically Smt. Mamata Banerjee. The important announcements that were made by the Chief Minister Smt. Mamta Banerjee in the North Bengal Industry meet 2015 are given below:

• Sales Tax Appellate and Revision Bench at Himachal Vihar, Siliguri
• Unique Clearance Centre at Uttorkonya, Jalpaiguri
• Mutation clearance within 21 to 30 days
• MSME Venture Capital Fund (www.msmebengalinvest.in)
• MSME Facilitation Centre (MFC) [‘Points of Single Contact’ from which businesses can obtain information, complete necessary administrative procedures and get relationship officers]

Previously, events like North Bengal Conclave; Synergy Siliguri was organized with the same motto of attracting and encouraging investment in this region and this North Bengal Industry Meet can be marked as the enlarged version of that with a focus on overall all types of industries and all the districts of North Bengal. Not less than 200 business delegates from different parts of North Bengal attended the Industry meet. Some of the delegates were also from neighboring countries like Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Apart from this, in the event the delegates were also seen from Sikkim.

The industry proposals from the industry perspective that were laid in the meet are as follows:

1. 310 Crore by PCM group in dairy
2. 300 Croe by Ambuja Group in tourism at Makaibari, Ghum and Lataguri
3. 200 Crore by Begraj Group in affordable housing
4. 178.69 Crore by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd at Raninagar, Jalpaiguri
5. 170 Crore by ACDCL in Solar Power
6. 100 Crore by Inspiria Group
7. 70 Crore by Shri Ram Centennial School and so on.

At the event Chief Minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee accused media several times for negative publicity. “For political issues write or show anything you want, we will tackle it politically. But, for development’s sake, don’t over criticize everything. After all, it ruins the impression of your state which in turn affects investment. We are trying to break the stagnation of 34 years. Take it positively” she said. Along with Chief Minister, State Finance Minister Sri. Amit Mitra, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Janab Firhad Hakim, Mass Education Extension and Library Services Minister Janab Abdul Karim Chowdhury, North Bengal Development Minister Sri. Goutam Deb, Chief Secretary Mr. Sanjay Mitra was also present. From administration, District Magistrates of several districts of North Bengal were present at the event.

Photos: Pradiptamay Saha (TNI)