Industries Minister Shashi Panja showcases West Bengal’s growth at Times Network summit

At the Growth Summit in Kolkata, the minister shares updates on investments, job creation, digital infrastructure and policy reforms driving Bengal’s economy

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New Delhi: Times Network hosted the SRMB Presents Growth Summit West Bengal, with Dr Shashi Panja, Minister for Industries, Commerce & Enterprises and Women & Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, among the key speakers.

 The summit brought together policymakers, business leaders and academics to discuss the state’s evolving economic landscape and its growing contribution to India’s industrial, digital and infrastructure sectors.

In her address, Dr Panja highlighted West Bengal’s recent investment inflows and employment growth across key sectors including iron and steel, logistics, energy, and information technology.

“West Bengal has emerged as one of the fastest-growing states in India, attracting over Rs 1.33 lakh crore in private investments, creating 1.8 lakh jobs. The iron and steel sector leads with Rs 45,240 crore investment and 62,500 jobs, followed by oil, gas, and energy at Rs 27,159 crore and 16,000 jobs, and logistics at Rs 19,000 crore with 25,000 jobs. With 800 private industrial units, the top 10 investors alone have contributed Rs 44,000 crore and 32,500 jobs,” she said.

She also referenced large-scale industrial infrastructure already in place. “The state houses India’s largest leather complex, hosiery park, foundry park, and railway manufacturing units. It is also the cement hub of India with all nine major companies investing,” she noted.

Dr Panja spoke of West Bengal’s growing digital infrastructure, particularly the 200-acre Bengal Silicon Valley, which now hosts 11 data centres and major IT firms including TCS, Wipro, Infosys and Cognizant. She also detailed several recent policy developments:

“The 2023 Industrial Corridor Policy spans six strategic corridors backed by a Rs 3,485 crore ADB loan, while the Logistics Policy (Rs 2,072 crore) enhances trade efficiency. The Tea Tourism Policy has led to 32 proposals across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Jalpaiguri. The Sand Mining Policy has earned Rs 500 crore already, with Rs 2,280 crore projected over five years. The shift to freehold land for industries and 21 proposals approved marks a major land reform,” she said.

She further highlighted Bengal’s MSME footprint, stating, “With 90 lakh MSMEs, Bengal leads with 36.4% female-headed establishments and 12.73% female workforce participation. MSME credit stands at Rs 8.6 lakh crore, supported by 30X cluster growth and 35 GI-tagged Bengal products, signaling inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.”

The summit featured speakers from across industry and education, including Prof Ved Prakash, Former Chairman, UGC; Ashish Beriwala, Director, SRMB Srijan; Prof Biswajoy Chatterjee, Vice Chancellor, UEM Jaipur; and Vinod Gupta, Managing Director, Dollar Industries. Discussions touched on topics such as academia-industry collaboration, AI and robotics, MSME empowerment, and skill development.

The event, held in partnership with Dollar Industries, University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Sister Nivedita University, OmDayal Group of Institutions, and Julien Day School, concluded with an emphasis on cross-sectoral collaboration to support Bengal’s evolving economic framework.

 

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