Assocham submits blueprint for industrial revival

Kolkata, Aug 28: Assocham has submitted a blueprint to rejuvinate West Bengal's industrial scenario and attract additional investment of Rs 50,000 crore by 2010 in the state, particularly in the areas of food processing, IT, BPO, agricultural exports, biotechnology and several other sectors.

Speaking to mediapersons here today Assocham president Anil Kumar Agarwal said, "We have met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today and submitted to him the blueprint for creation of conducive industrial climate." "There has been substantial development in West Bengal with huge volume of investment coming in and Mr Bhattacharjee had played a leading role in that regard," he said after the meeting with a 20-member delegation.

"We have to go a long way in developing infrastructure like roads, railway network, airports and new hotels. The power situation also needs to be improved. We have proposed to the Chief Minister to focus on the upcoming sectors like food processing, bio and nano technologies, IT, agri-exports and manufacturing by putting in place industry friendly policies that will attract the suggested investments in the state," he said.

Mr Agarwal said the state should also set up a food bank where private equity could be drawn in for easy credit to agro and food proessing sectors.

The blueprint also sought involvement of panchayats in development of agro-processing industries.

"The state should provide an initial corpus and inbuilt infrastructure net for safety and permit the panchyats into contract farming arrangements with private companies," he said adding that food bank could be set up with a minimum corpus of Rs 10000 crore with private equity participation.

UNI