Will give you love and affection, Mamata Banerjee tells industry
, ET Bureau|
Jan 17, 2018, 09.49 AM IST
KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee said her government "will only give love and affection" and not intimidate or put pressure on industry, and urged businesses to invest in the entire region and not just Bengal.
The West Bengal chief minister played a perfect host to high-profile guests including Lakshmi Mittal, Mukesh Ambani and Sajjan Jindal at the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), even as central ministers gave the event a miss for the second straight year.
"I want to appeal to the industry captains to invest in all eastern states, not just Bengal. I love our neighbouring states and the people living there," Banerjee said on the inaugural day of the fourth edition of the event on Tuesday. "Bengal is the gateway of the eastern and north-eastern states, and the Asean countries as well. This region has immense potential in terms of strategic issues. From Bengal, you can explore the entire region."
Banerjee has taken a different approach by urging investors to exploit the full potential of the entire eastern and north-eastern states, at a time when it has become commonplace for state governments to use business summits to try and outdo others in inviting investments, with the central government too promoting competition among states.
"Other parts of the country have many things and those places are almost exhausted. But eastern states have immense scopes for investment. And above all, we have political stability here," she said.
She said her government's mantra was "tolerance" for all. No industry will be hounded out, she added.
"Bengal will not deprive you. We are tolerant. If industries face issues, then how can we expect them to generate jobs? There would be no pressure, no discrimination and no intimidation from our side. We will only give love and affection," Banerjee said. "We can feel the pain if industries face problems. This is same with the agriculture industry too. We will grow if we walk forward taking industry and agriculture together. We want both agriculture and industry smile."
More than 300 delegates from 30 foreign countries attendedthe two-day event. BGBS has nine partner countries, including China, Poland, South Korea, Italy, the UK and France and as many as 214 business delegations arrived from these countries.
Despite facing legacy issues, Bengal has succeeded in changing its mind-set and moved on leaving the history of strikes and lock-outs far behind, the chief minister said.
However, central ministers have skipped the summit again. Repeated policy clashes with the Centre; and rising political skirmishes between the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP at the Centre has now led to a scenario where central ministers like Nitin Gadkari have decided to boycott the business summit.
The West Bengal chief minister played a perfect host to high-profile guests including Lakshmi Mittal, Mukesh Ambani and Sajjan Jindal at the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), even as central ministers gave the event a miss for the second straight year.
"I want to appeal to the industry captains to invest in all eastern states, not just Bengal. I love our neighbouring states and the people living there," Banerjee said on the inaugural day of the fourth edition of the event on Tuesday. "Bengal is the gateway of the eastern and north-eastern states, and the Asean countries as well. This region has immense potential in terms of strategic issues. From Bengal, you can explore the entire region."
Banerjee has taken a different approach by urging investors to exploit the full potential of the entire eastern and north-eastern states, at a time when it has become commonplace for state governments to use business summits to try and outdo others in inviting investments, with the central government too promoting competition among states.
"Other parts of the country have many things and those places are almost exhausted. But eastern states have immense scopes for investment. And above all, we have political stability here," she said.
She said her government's mantra was "tolerance" for all. No industry will be hounded out, she added.
"Bengal will not deprive you. We are tolerant. If industries face issues, then how can we expect them to generate jobs? There would be no pressure, no discrimination and no intimidation from our side. We will only give love and affection," Banerjee said. "We can feel the pain if industries face problems. This is same with the agriculture industry too. We will grow if we walk forward taking industry and agriculture together. We want both agriculture and industry smile."
More than 300 delegates from 30 foreign countries attendedthe two-day event. BGBS has nine partner countries, including China, Poland, South Korea, Italy, the UK and France and as many as 214 business delegations arrived from these countries.
Despite facing legacy issues, Bengal has succeeded in changing its mind-set and moved on leaving the history of strikes and lock-outs far behind, the chief minister said.
However, central ministers have skipped the summit again. Repeated policy clashes with the Centre; and rising political skirmishes between the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP at the Centre has now led to a scenario where central ministers like Nitin Gadkari have decided to boycott the business summit.
