Keen to undo the damage caused to the State's image with the exit of the Tata small car project and the ebb in industrial investments since then, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry leaders have stepped forward saying they are ready to join Mamata Banerjee in her efforts to regain the State's lost glory.
There was no reaction from Tata, which still retains its leasehold in Singur.
Congratulating Ms. Banerjee for leading her party and her allies to a historic victory in the Assembly Elections, P. Roy, director-general of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, said: “We in the chamber would like to see a resurgent West Bengal both in terms of law and order, development, as well as infrastructure-building and industrial growth, and we will support her efforts in every way possible.”
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R.P. Goenka, chairman emeritus of RPG Enterprises, said: “This is not the time to ask what she can do for us, but to tell her what we can do to help her regain West Bengal 's lost glory.”
His son Sanjiv Goenka, vice-chairman of CESC, said now was the time for business to put its best foot forward and help the new leader build a better State. Y.C. Deveshwar, Chairman of business conglomerate ITC, said ITC would look forward to continuing its partnership with the State government to enlarge its “contribution in West Bengal.”
Pawan Ruia, chairman of Ruia Group, said what was needed from the new government was a proactive and direct approach that could change the State's negative perception. Sudesh Sonthalia, president, Merchants' Chamber of Commerce, felt that re-building the State's image on the basis of strategic location, abundant natural resources, vast pool of technical and skilled manpower, and large English-speaking population should be the biggest priority of the new government.
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Sunil Dasgupta, president of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber would extend its whole-hearted support to the new government.