Expecting over Rs.1 lakh crore investment from summit: Mamata

Kolkata, Jan 7: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government was expecting investment of over Rs.1 lakh crore from the two-day Bengal Global Summit that began on Wednesday.

"Wait for tomorrow, the documents itself will speak for themselves. We are hoping for an investment of over Rs.1 lakh crore during the summit," Banerjee told mediapersons on the sidelines of the event.

Describing the summit as "positive and constructive throughout", the chief minister said a lot companies have committed to pump in money into the state.

She referred to the SAIL announcing an investment of Rs.40,000 crore, and said a Memorandum of Understanding will be inked for a deep sea port at the Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district.

Not divulging whether union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said anything positive about her government's long standing demand for moratorium on debt repayment, Banerjee asserted Bengal's gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth was double that of the country.

"We are carrying the legacy of the Left Front government, but we are still generating double the revenue, the GSDP growth is double that of the centre," she said.

She also refused to compare the Bengal summit with Vibrant Gujarat, launched by Narendra Modi in 2003, when he was chief minister, beginning Sunday.

"We can't compare the two summits. The prime minister is from their state so that is a big advantage for them. Gujarat doesn't have problems like us. They don't have to repay debts like we do. So let Gujarat play their own role and let us Bengal play our own role. We want development for both Gujarat and Bengal."

IANS