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Journalism of Courage
West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen has said the Left Front government is committed to industrialisation even if it runs the risk of being ousted from the seat of power.
In the quest for industrialisation of the state we may lose the seat of power,suffer electoral setbacks but that does not mean that industrialisation is not necessary, Sen said on Tuesday while addressing representatives of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry at its 122nd Annual General Meeting.
Sen said come what may the government was undeterred on the path of industrialisation. Whether we will pursue the path of industrialisation or not,should not be dependent on the outcome of elections, he said.
Sen said because of the state governments drive industry was being set up in various districts of West Midnapore,Purulia and North Bengal and elsewhere in the state,but when it was trying to reach out to our villages then politics was coming in the way.
The minister said the debate on industrialisation in the state had also had positive outcomes and based on their experiences the state government had got support of the people at various places. In the last one year we have invested Rs 4,500 crore in 217 big and medium industries. This investment would have been more had some industries stayed on in the state, Sen said.
The minister said the top three sectors which had attracted investment in the past one year were petrochemical amp; chemicals,iron and steel,and agriculture and food processing. Agriculture and food processing industry has drawn an investment of Rs 600 crore in the past one year,the minister said adding that in the next three years an investment worth Rs 47,500 crore had been lined up in the state.
Sen also tried to dispel the perception that the state government was only running for big ticket investment. Sen said 95 per cent of the industries in the state were small and medium industries.
Trinamool MoS walks out of meet
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy walked out of the 122nd Annual General Meeting of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industries when he found state Industry Minister Nirupam Sen and Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharjee on the stage. Roy reportedly arrived 30 minutes behind schedule but finding the two ministers already present,walked out after only a few minutes,telling the organisers of the programme that he had received an urgent call.
The chamber only told me that I would be the chief guest and there would be others present. They never told me about the presence of CPM ministers. When our party has taken a stand not to share the dais with CPM leaders,I will follow it, the minister said. Meanwhile,Bhattacharjee coming down heavily on the minister,said: This is their culture,this is their courtesy. If because of us he had to leave,then he should have said that and we would not have attended the programme. But we are not insulted, he said. ENS
