Bengal gets financial commitment of over Rs 2.4 lakh crore (Lead)

Kolkata, Jan 8 (IANS) West Bengal has attracted a financial commitment exceeding Rs.2.4 lakh crore which will generate more than a crore job opportunities, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Thursday.

"Don't underestimate Bengal... Yesterday and today, it (financial commitment) is about Rs.2,43,000 crore," Banerjee said on the concluding day of the Bengal Global Business Summit here.

"This investment (Rs.2,43,000 crore) alone can create more than one crore employment opportunities," she said.

However, she said the commitment may cross Rs.3 lakh crore if all proposals are signed.

"It may be above Rs.3 lakh crore, but I don't want to say this because whatever I have evidence, documents and official papers, only that I can quote," she said.

The chief minister said, both state-owned PSUs and the shipping ministry as well as private companies have shown interest in investing in Bengal.

According to Banerjee, state-owned SAIL has given a commitment of Rs.30,000 crore with the ministry of shipping, road transport and highways committing Rs.41,600 crore for a series of projects. NTPC has also committed Rs.20,000 crore.

Indian private sector commitments came from Essel group (Rs.15,000 crore), while Singapore-based Suvarna group has committed Rs.1,000 crore and Capital Singapore's commitment amounts to Rs.2,500 crore.

Also, the YK Modi group has shown interest of Rs.1,500 crore, a proposed solar power plant in Sonarpur is poised to generate Rs.1,275 crore, Forum group's investment is in the range of Rs.4,000 crore, Mani group's commitment totals Rs.2,500 crore followed by several others.

"Everything is available in Bengal. You just do your business with a heart," she said.

Banerjee said the manufacturing sector was a focus area for Bengal and steps would be taken to enable smooth functioning of the industry in the state.

The chief minister also reiterated her stand of mutual coexistence of industry and agriculture and said the state was creating agro-marketing hubs, and land for the industry won't be forcefully acquired.