West Bengal received investment of Rs 2108.14 crore

Kolkata: West Bengal received private investment of Rs 2108.14 crore against project proposals of Rs 8507.72 crore approved by the state government between March and December 2012, state Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said today.

Replying to a question from the Leader of Opposition Sujyakanta Mishra in the Assembly, Chatterjee said there was no difference with Finance Minister Amit Mitra`s budget statement, according to which the state government had received investment proposals amounting to Rs 1,12,769.36 crore in 257 units since May 2011. Chatterjee said that the port town of Haldia received Rs 26,000 crore in investment proposals, which could not be realised because environment clearance from the Centre was not available despite persuasion by the state government. Chatterjee told the Assembly that they could also pursue the issue in Delhi in the interest of the state, to which, Mishra said that the Opposition was ready to cooperate with the state government on it. To a supplementary, Chatterjee said that the Trinamool Congress government also received government investment from SAIL, Railways and Burn Standard. Replying to another question, Chatterjee said that the state government had taken up programmes to revive sick industrial units in the state. These programmes included appointment of consultants and incentives to the companies referred to BIFR, he said. The minister said that some industrialists had shown interest in taking over some of the sick units in the state. The recent industry meet at Haldia, `Bengal Leads`, was a success with industries showing interest in projects like coal-based methane and deep sea ports, Chatterjee claimed. Criticising the erstwhile Left Front government, the Minister added that out of 4710 estimated industrial memoranda signed between 1991 and 2011 during its tenure, only 833 were realised. PTI