Land not only issue for industry: Govt

“Why only land? Poor infrastructure,poor connectivity and poor logistics are also crucial issues which will have to be addressed,” Commerce and Industry minister Partha Chatterjee told FICCI members at the chamber’s national executive meet here. Owing to poor physical infrastructure,most industries preferred to set up along national highways,he noted.

On the issue of land,he said that it was concern for the industry and under no circumstances,the government would get into the matter. It would have to be directly acquired by the industry. Replying to the queries,Chatterjee said the state government had undertaken a study to assess the quantum of land locked up in closed units of private and public sectors.

He also urged the industry to invest in backward districts of the state like Purulia,Bankura,West Midnapore and in North Bengal.

Food processing,textiles,iron and steel,petrochemicals,gems and jewellery and traditional craftsmanship were the areas where the state was seeking capital,he said.

Prominent FICCI members

who attended the meet were Marico chairman Harsh Mariwala,HSBC head Naina Lal Kidwai,Britannia CEO Vinita Bali and former presidents of the chamber among others.

Investors ready to purchase land: Ficci

Kolkata: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) today said investors were ready to purchase land to set up industries in West Bengal.

“Land will not be a problem to set up units here as we are ready to purchase it against market price,” Ficci president Harsh Mariwala told reporters here after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. FICCI,he said,was also ready to cooperate with the state government to explore possibilities of investing or setting up in partnership small,medium and big industries.

The key areas identified were developing industrial clusters,upgrading and promoting textiles,food processing and service sector.

“We are hopeful about rapid development of industries in the state under the new government led by Mamata Banerjee,” he said.

Mariwala,also CMD of Marico Ltd,had led a FICCI delegation at an hour-long meeting with Banerjee to discuss the possibilities of setting up industries in West Bengal.