Kolkata | West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday said the state would become financially strong in the next one or two years and make rapid strides across sectors, asserting that his government was creating a business-friendly environment to boost industrial growth.
Inaugurating the Kolkata Couture Expo at Milan Mela here, Adhikari announced that he would lay the foundation stone for a Rs 4,000-crore steel plant in Purulia on August 17.
He said groundbreaking ceremonies for new industrial projects were being held every month and the government would hand over land to at least 25 industries within a month.
"West Bengal will become financially strong in the next one or two years and make rapid strides in every sector. We will hand over land to at least 25 industries within a month," he said.
Adhikari highlighted that his government has introduced a land procurement policy for setting up new enterprises.
The chief minister said that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during a meeting with him in the national capital earlier this week, said the Centre wanted to develop the state's tea and textile sectors.
She extensively toured the textile hubs in Nadia and Purba Bardhaman districts during the assembly elections and noted their rich diversity, he said.
"She will visit the state again between August 24 and 28," he said.
"There is a huge unemployment problem in West Bengal, but the state is rich in human resources, education, and a skilled workforce," the chief minister said.
He said that proper utilisation of these resources by the government and businesses will help improve the state's condition.
"A roadmap must be created to bring West Bengal out of the poor condition it is in now," the chief minister said.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated several measures to alleviate the state's condition, Adhikari said that the PM inaugurated and laid the foundation for several projects on the statehood day on June 20.
In a dig at the Trinamool Congress regime, without naming it, the chief minister, who has repeatedly accused the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government of lawlessness in the state, said that the previous culture of cut money, syndicate raj, and goondaism must change.
"The law and order situation of the state has to be fixed," he said, maintaining that changes in that direction are already evident in the BJP government's nearly 100-day rule in Bengal.
The chief minister said the state will move forward with a business-friendly environment, a good industrial policy, a single-window clearance system and land provision.
"I want to assure you there will be no goondaism," he asserted.
Adhikari assured that the state government will extend all help to the textile industry, stating that existing laws will be changed if necessary. He also asked the textile industry to come up with concrete proposals in this regard.
Pointing to the state's outstanding debt of Rs 8 lakh-crore left behind by the previous government, he said that audits of various departments' finances had not been carried out for years.
"Despite foul-mouthing of the Centre by the previous dispensation, the Union government gave 90 per cent of GST funds based on the assumption (of utilisation)," Adhikari said.
He said that a business and industry-friendly environment, by ensuring law and order, has been initiated in the state by the BJP government.
He lauded the business community's enterprise in bringing Bengal out of the "mess that the state has been in for the last 50 years." West Bengal was ruled by the CPI(M)-led Left Front for 34 years from 1977, and thereafter by the TMC for 15 years, till the BJP won the assembly elections in the state for the first time in May this year.
Adhikari said that the BJP government is working to fulfil the promises made in the party's manifesto during the assembly elections.
Inaugurating the Kolkata Couture Expo, the chief minister expressed confidence that it will generate between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1,000 crore in business.
Stating that many businesses from across the country will benefit from the expo, Adhikari said the former chief minister used to sneer at the mention of enterprises from places like Surat, maintaining that she would term them as "outsiders".
"It is our country, and everyone from every corner is participating, and I am proud of that," he said.
