In yet another first, West Bengal has also managed to gain entry into the league of top five states in terms of total outstanding investments in the country. Displaying a massive increase of 45 per cent over last year, the state displaced Karnataka to occupy fourth spot with its impressive kitty of 1,090 projects valued at Rs 1.8 lakh crore.

The turnaround, say investors, has largely been due to the efforts of the CM. “When we were interested in setting up a facility in West Bengal, the Chief Minister personally approached us and made presentations on the infrastructure available and the incentives he could offer,” says Venugopal Dhoot, chairman and managing director of the Videocon group, which has announced an investment of Rs 15,000 crore in an integrated steel plant at Asansol last year. “He made decisions quickly, waived off sales tax and stamp duty and assured us of dedicated coal supply for our plant.”

Similar concessions ensured that the state also received another tranche of investments to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore by the Jai Balaji group at Purulia, its seventh investment in the state. The coming year also promises hectic activity in industrial development in the state, with Sen saying that added focus will be given to heavy earth moving constructors, ship-building industries and railway equipment manufacturers.

Sen, who is leading a delegation comprising Principal Secretary, Commerce, Sabyasachi Sen and the managing director of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) M V Rao, also met Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata to discuss the progress of the Singur factory from where the Nano is slated to roll out in mid-2008.

... contd.