Bengal to focus on automobile, engineering, manufacturing, says Mamata

Kolkata: The West Bengal government will focus on restore the state's primacy in automobile, engineering and manufacturing sectors, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.

"The state had its heyday in automobile, engineering and manufacturing. We will focus to attract more investments in these sectors to bring back the glory of the state," she said in her first meeting with leading business chambers after coming to power for the second term.

Banerjee said she also plans to hold business meetings in nearby countries to attract investment in auto and manufacturing sector in the state.

"Bengal is industry and economy-friendly and the state is the best place for industries. There are some local problems that would be solved if brought to the notice," she said.

She also urged business leaders to act instead of speaking and praising the government. "Let's stop talking and instead put things into action and deliver," she said at a felicitation ceremony organised by the chambers.

Banerjee said industries were not availing the opportunities in the state despite the presence of a land bank, land map and land use pattern. She indicated a cell would be set up in the chief minister's office so that no projects are stalled.

She however, also said the state has been growing in the last four years as its "achievements speak for itself".

"Our gross value addition grew over 10 per cent, while it rose by 7.5 per cent in the country. Industry expanded by 10.34 percent in the state, while the same is 5.6 per cent in India. Bengal had no man-days' loss due to strike. Capital expenditure grew seven times and revenue generation doubled to Rs 40,000 crore in the last four years," she said, highlighting her governmenta¿s achievements in her first term.

She also reminded Bengal should not be compared with Maharastra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as they have finance capital, huge numbers of ports and high revenue income.