Bengal Inc cheers Trinamool's massive victory

Kolkata, May 19: With the Trinamool Congress (TMC) storming to power in West Bengal with a landslide win, captains of industry in the state cheered the verdict, saying it will set the tone for faster economic reforms in Bengal.

"The decisive election victory of the TMC reaffirms the direction of the government and sets the tone for faster economic reforms in West Bengal," said CII eastern region chairman and Tata Steel managing director T.V. Narendran.

He said that the Trinamool, in its first term, had strongly addressed multiple issues to kickstart a new wave of development.

City-based RP-Sanjiv Goenka group's chairman Sanjiv Goenka said the return of Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister was a great news for those who want Bengal to win the eagerly-awaited race for economic development.

"There is no doubt that with her vast experience, Mamata Banerjee will be a priceless resource for Bengal," Goenka said.

"Trinamool Congress' manifesto is certainly very positive. All out efforts need to be made to achieve the manifesto objectives. It will certainly catalyse faster growth and development of the state," Ambuja Realty chairman Harshavardhan Neotia said.

He suggested that fiscal health of the state, being a matter of concern, needed to be addressed on a priority basis.

"We need to speed up investment in infrastructure particularly state highways. We need to make functional and effective single window clearance to fast track developmental projects," added Neotia, who is also president of business chamber FICCI.

"At the state level, the emphatic return of Mamata Banerjee in Bengal and, J. Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, sends out a clear signal that there is no alternative to the people-centric policies," said Assocham president Sunil Kanoria.

He said the NDA government at the centre would find it easier to deal with Trinamool Congress and the Jayalalitha-led AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha for passage of crucial bills, mainly the GST (Goods and Services Tax).

"The phenomenal win of TMC bears testimony to their successful first term. The second term will be an ideal platform for the government to take forward the improvement that it has initiated," CII's former president Sumit Mazumder said.

Mazumder, who is also chairman and managing director of TIL, said that the government would also initiate actions to correct the negative perception of the state because of historical reasons.

"The decisive mandate is good for the state and industry. The government will be in a position to complete its unfinished agenda with a clear-cut direction," said city-based infrastructure firm Srei chairman and managing director Hemant Kanoria.

Terming the verdict as for progress, growth and overall socio-economic development, Indian Chamber of Commerce's director general Rajeev Singh said: "Revival of employment-generating manufacturing sector and enhanced growth in the services sector will have to be a focus area based on the key strengths like strong human capital pool, strategic location in terms of proximity to the South Asian & ASEAN markets including China."

IANS