Assuring stakeholders and members of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and industry in India) that West Bengal was moving ahead at a “rapid speed”, State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said here at an event on Monday that MSMEs have employed 10 lakh people in the past three years.
“Since 2011 [when the All India Trinamool Congress came to power], three lakh people were directly employed and 10 lakh people were indirectly employed through MSMEs. About 35,000 MSMEs were set up [since 2011]; from 48 MSME clusters [in 2011], there is an increase to 92 clusters,” Mr. Mitra said.
Bank lending to MSMEs was Rs. 10,400 crore in 2012-13, it has now increased to Rs. 21,800 crore, he said and added that Bengal’s GDP rose to 8.62 per cent compared to India’s 4.62 per cent.
About 65 acres of land has been made available at Belur in Howrah district, the Minister said.
“An end-to-end integrated textile park is planned at the site,” Mr. Mitra said.
Land near the Hindustan Motors factory at Hooghly district has recently been cleared for Rs. 6,500 crore-worth of investment, he said.
Calling for the members of the ASSOCHAM to work on recently-developed tourism spots in West Bengal, Mr. Mitra said 100 acres of land was available near the tiger reserve in Jharkhali in Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced a Rs. 400 crore eco-tourism project at Jharkhali on a public private partnership model.
About 210 acres of land was available in Gajoldoba near Siliguri in Jalpaiguri district, he said adding that kayaking could explored on the waters of the river Teesta.
