‘Bengal out of decadal slumber’

CPM MLA and Leader of Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra sought to downplay the Governor's criticism of the Left rule. "The Governor reads the speech prepared by the government. It's not his own words," Mishra told The Indian Express over phone.

But at the very outset of his speech, Narayanan made it clear that he has come to bat for the government on bringing investment to the state. "Normally it does not fall in the domain of a Governor to address a business summit. It falls on elected representatives. Here, I have come not only because I have got an invitation from the CM, but also come because I believe in Bengal and its future. I hope you all do. To me, the message of Bengal Leads is simple — Bengal requires and seeks investment and the climate is here," he said.

Almost echoing Mamata on the issue of comparing Bengal with Gujarat, he said: "The comparison with Gujarat is invidious. Bengal has a track record of building up business relations with other states long before Gujarat had done that. Much is being said about the absence of big names (in this summit). Industrialists, big or small, have a role to play in Bengal's future. The Bengali disaspora has been contributing to the economic development of other countries. Why don't they do so for their own state?"

Praising the state government for its performance in the last 18 months, he said: "In one-year-and-a-half year of the new dispensation coming to power, the state has become sixth in overall growth even when there was no significant investment. It has become second in governance and third in education. These are facts which cannot be ignored by an investor."

The Governor, however, raised his concerns over the issue of land availability for the industries and suggested that the government should play a role in acquiring land for setting up industries — a taboo for the Trinamool government. "I believe both the state government and industry should handle the (land) matter judiciously,'' he said and went on to talk about the government's role in facilitating industries. "It's an old cliche that the business of the government is not business, and the business of government is to maintain stability. But it is equally necessary for the government to play a part in facilitating the entry of private capital and creating a proper investment climate. The state government is doing that exactly,'' he added.

... contd.

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