France scouts for oppurtunities as Bengal sheds negative image

Kolkata, Jun 21 (UNI) With Bengal undergoing complete makeover, shedding its negative image, France is looking at the state for its competitive advantages and collaboration in the fields of agro-processing and IT, French Ambassador to India, Dominique Girard said here today.

Speaking at a programme here today, Mr Girard said,''The state is poised to attract French investment. People were prejudiced about this state even five years' back. But the scenario has changed a lot.'' Mr Girard said Bengal can attract investment or go for joint collaborations in the field of agriculture, food processing and IT.

Focussing on India's need of increasing exports to France, he said French export to India in 2006 grew by 38 per cent while Indian export to France grew at the rate of only 18 per cent.

Mr Girard, who met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhaatcharjee yesterday, said the state government wants to attract foreign, specially French investments.

Terming the industrial relations between France and West Bengal as spontaneous, Girard said there was no need for organising official forums or seminars to foster a favourable investment climate between the two regions.

The French Ambassador today conferred "Officer de I'Ordre national du merite" award to Honorary consul of French Consulate General Mahendra Kumar Jalan.

UNI