Buddha plans US visit to attract investment

Bhattacharya is expected to visit New York and Washington DC among other US cities early next year. This was disclosed by an official of the US India Business Council which helped Dasgupta to meet top American CEOs at New York.

Officials at the Indian Consulate in New York said Dasgupta allayed the fears of American CEOs over the Left’s public posturing. The meeting ended satisfactorily and could result in an investment of more than $1 billion in West Bengal.

The Business Council officials said Dasgupta urged investment in infrastructure and transportation (including that of Kolkata and its neighbourhood), chemicals, drugs and pharmacutiucal industries.

When Dasgupta was asked in the US about the CPI(M)’s opposition to the joint US-India military exercises, the finance minister is believed to have repeated Bhattacharya’s line that West Bengal wanted US money and American knowledge but not US weapons.

The finance minister also delivered a lecture on ’An Alternative Approach to Economic Reforms: Experience in West Bengal’ at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Encouraged by the favourable response from the CEOs, the Business Council officials feel a visit by Bhattacharya would help attract US investmors to the eastern state.

The officials are now laying the ground for Bhattacharya’s visit next year. This will allow the chief minister to meet top US CEOs himself and allay their fears.