State signs MoUs worth ₹2.19 lakh cr. at business summit

The Adani Group said that it would double its investment in West Bengal, even as the State closed its fourth global business summit by signing MoUs worth ₹2.19 lakh crore. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that these were new proposals and 50 % of last summit’s proposals (worth ₹2.35 lakh crore) were under implementation.

Focus on job creation

“The focus now is on employment generation”, she said, adding that these proposals were expected to create 20 lakh jobs. The State government announced three policies to promote business. These pertained to logistics park development and promotion, export promotion, and RO RO (Roll on roll off vehicle ) operation.

Pranav Adani , Director of Adani Enterprises and Managing Director, Adani Wilmar said that the company had already doubled its edible oil refining capacity at Haldia and was now boosting the packaging facilities. “We are planning to get into agri-logistics and will double our investment to ₹1,500 crore by 2023. We would like to replicate our Mundra Port in West Bengal if we get the opportunity”, he said.

Even as more MoUs were under negotiation, the 110 MoUs already signed pertained to manufacturing and infrastructure (₹1.56 lakh crore), MSME and textiles ( ₹52,952 crore), hospitality and tourism (₹1,483 crore), IT & ITes (₹1,146 crore), animal resource development, food processing fisheries and agri business (₹1,518 crores) and health, education & skill development (₹6,015 crore).

Cab service providers OLA and Uber will help create one lakh jobs, Finance Minister Amit Mitra said by expanding their services and training drivers.