Bengal govt to finalise new land policy after talks with industry

Kolkata, Aug 8 (IANS) The policy for land procurement for industry in West Bengal will be thoroughly changed in the coming days, and the new policy will be formed only after consulting industrialists and industry associations, state Commerce & Industries Minister Tapas Roy assured on Saturday.

“An important meeting to finalise the blueprint of the new policy for ‘land for industry’ has been convened at the state secretariat Nabanna on August 11. I welcome all industrialists and representatives of industry associations to be present at that meeting and give their valuable suggestions. Your suggestions will be crucial for finalising that policy,” Roy said while addressing a seminar of industries in Kolkata, attended by top industrialists from the state.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister launched a scathing attack against the previous Mamata Banerjee‑led Trinamool Congress government for allegedly neglecting the industrial development sector during the last 15 years.

“Nothing was done for industrial development not only during the last 15 years but also before that. This sector had remained neglected for years. In a way, I am a start‑up Commerce & Industries Minister. Those who came before me left nothing for me. There was no land bank or land policy. Even the previous government withdrew the incentive policy. You had to wait nine to ten days during the previous regime to get a no‑objection certificate. That made investors lose interest. As many as 6,688 companies, small, medium and big, left West Bengal during the previous regime. Why they left is known to everyone,” Roy said.

According to him, in the current economic scenario, investments will not be possible without a proper incentive policy.

“So, I am asking all of you to get involved in the new state government’s endeavour for industrial development. Already we have taken definite steps to completely stop the previous extortion practices which were a great disincentive for new investments,” the minister said.

–IANS

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