Reliance Industries will invest ₹20,000 crore in West Bengal in the next three years, company’s chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani said in Kolkata on Tuesday.
“Bengal has been one of the largest investment destinations for Reliance. After you (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) invited me, Reliance has invested close to ₹45,000 crore in West Bengal. Today, I am happy to announce that we plan to invest an additional ₹20,000 crore in West Bengal in the next three years,” Mr. Ambani said.
Participating in the seventh edition of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), the Reliance Industries chairperson said that the investments will be in three areas – digital life solutions through Jio 5G solutions, Reliance Retail and Bio energy.
Commenting on the reach of Jio telecom services in West Bengal, Mr. Ambani said, “We have achieved 98.8% population coverage in the State and 100% in Kolkata Telecom Circle”. Reliance plans to roll out the launch of Jio 5G services in the country before the end of 2023.
Mr. Ambani said that the number of retail stores in the State will increase from 1,000 to 1,200 in the next two years and that the company has brought 5.5 lakh kirana stores under the umbrella of JioMart.
Reliance Industries also plans to set up CBG (Compressed BioGas) plants in West Bengal which will help farmers to increase their income. The Reliance Industry chairperson said that the company targets to establish 100 CBG plants in the next 5 years, consuming 5.5 million tonnes of agro-residue and organic waste, thereby mitigating nearly 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions, and producing 2.5 million tonnes of organic manure annually.
“India has the potential to become the largest producer of bio energy in the world. Reliance has become India’s largest bio energy producer based on its indigenous developed technology,” Mr. Ambani said.
Speaking about the Reliance Foundation’s philanthropic activities, the Reliance Industries chairperson said that the Foundation has taken up an ambitious project of restoration and renovation of the famous Kalighat temple of Kolkata.
“We are in the process of repairing the entire temple complex including the century-old heritage structures and restoring the same to their original glory,” Mr. Ambani said. He assured the West Bengal Chief Minister that the initiative was as close to his heart as it was to the Chief Minister. In another announcement the Reliance Industries chairperson said that handicrafts made by artisans of the State under the Biswa Bangla brand will be sold across all retail counters of Reliance.
The representatives of various prominent industry houses were present at the two-day BGBS which began in Kolkata on Tuesday. Energy baron Sanjeev Goenka and Wipro’s Rishad Premji, were among those who were present at the event. Delegates of 17 countries participated in the event . The U.K. government released a roadmap for establishing an Intelligent Mobility Skill Centre in West Bengal.
