Kolkata: Bengal govt will hand over land parcels to 33 industries before Durga Puja and the cabinet has already cleared their proposals, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday. He added that he will also meet Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai to discuss investment in the state.“Anant Ambani called me up day before yesterday and invited me to the family’s Ganesh Puja celebrations. They are willing to invest in Bengal. I will meet Mukesh Ambani and his son in Mumbai after Ganesh Puja,” Adhikari said at a city event.The CM said he will also join a dinner hosted during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday.Adhikari said Bengal has become more “industry- and business-friendly” in the past four months and many companies are approaching the govt for expansion of their businesses. The revenue entering govt’s coffers from industries will be utilised to upgrade education, health and infrastructure, he added.“We are checking the credibility and background of these companies. We are checking whether they are linked to any bank fraud. We are bringing industries to Bengal only after a foolproof background check. While cementing our relations with industries, we are also looking into areas like their financial commitment and environmental clearance,” the CM said.Adhikari announced he will also be present at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Adani Group’s proposed 2,000-bed hospital in New Town on Sept 24, for which the group’s founder and chairperson Gautam Adani will be present.“Bengal had lost its business- and industry-friendly climate for various reasons. Now both international and national players are here to rejuvenate the state’s economy. In the four months since the new government took office, we have launched several public and private initiatives to rebuild a supportive environment for business and industry,” the CM said.Adhikari, who was inaugurating fashion retail chain Style Baazar’s wardrobe installation at a city mall, said the company will also set up a solar power plant at Purulia, for which it has already purchased 100 acres of land. “I will attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony. Process is underway to acquire nearly 1,000 acres in total,” he added. Company representatives said they are looking at an investment of Rs 2,000-2,500 crore for the solar plant.On the fashion side of the business, the company plans to open 140 stores — it already has 110 stores in Bengal — in three years, Adhikari said and added, “I have asked them to do so in 18 months. They will invest around Rs 5,000 crore for business expansion.”The CM also mentioned that before Durga Puja, a new plant of Haldia Petrochemicals worth Rs 6,000 crore will be inaugurated. “I will be present there at the invitation of chairperson Purnendu Chatterjee,” he said.
