KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has urged Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to make a strong bid for setting up a dedicated chemical park in the state under the Centre’s newly approved BHAVYA Rasayan scheme.
His appeal comes at a time when the state is seeking large industries capable of generating substantial employment, particularly after the Tata Group shifted its small car project from Singur in Hooghly district to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008.
Samik, who is also the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal, has proposed that the chemical park be established in Singur.
In a letter written to the Chief Minister on July 28, he also suggested that the industrial belts of Haldia in East Midnapore, Raghunathpur in Purulia and Durgapur in East Bardhaman be considered for setting up the chemical parks, in addition to Singur.
According to the letter, the state BJP chief said the Union Cabinet had approved the Rs 3,030-crore scheme on July 24 to establish three dedicated chemical parks across the country through a competitive challenge route.
He suggested potential sites, including Singur, Haldia, Raghunathpur and Durgapur, and proposed that the state constitute an inter-departmental task force led by the state Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Department and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) to prepare the required land dossier.
He also urged the government to earmark the state’s matching contribution in the upcoming budget.
Under the scheme, the Centre will provide a grant of up to Rs 1,000 crore for each park, subject to the state contributing at least Rs 500 crore and providing a minimum of 2,000 acres of contiguous, encumbrance-free land.
“Securing one of the three parks would anchor a national-scale chemicals hub in West Bengal, unlock over Rs 1,500 crore in combined Centre-State infrastructure investment and drive long-term private investment,” Samik said.
He said the project would generate significant direct employment and benefit downstream sectors including agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and electronics.
The setting up of heavy, medium and small-scale industries in West Bengal to create employment opportunities was among the BJP’s key electoral promises during the Assembly elections in the state.
Newly inducted West Bengal Industries Minister Tapas Roy, after taking charge, said he wanted to bring investments from the Tata Group in a "big way" and send a message that Bengal was ready for an industrial revival.
He said efforts would also be made to bring back more than 6,500 enterprises and entrepreneurs who had shifted their operations out of the state over the years.