Bengal offers huge investment prospects in mining: Amit Mitra

West Bengal today invited companies to invest in coal mining and exploration activities in the state as it highlighted huge opportunities in the sector.

"Deaocha Pachami coal block is the world's second largest reserves with two billion tonnes and shared by six entities including Bengal. Along with that, Bengal has tied up with Kudurmukh for iron ore deposit exploration in the state," state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said here today.

West Bengal has identified six granite prospective blocks and exploration has begun in three through competitive bidding, Mitra said while addressing the IMME and Global Mining Summit 2016.

He informed that mining would be carried out shortly in four blocks held by West Bengal Power Development Corporation.

All these will offer huge investment opportunities and urged companies to take advantage of the same, he said.

At the same time, the minister said, mining activity should be socially responsible and done in dialogue with people where the projects would take off.

Meanwhile, he highlighted the plight of people due to demonetisation but he declined to speak about entry tax issue.

According to reports, the Centre's demonetisation drive and resurfacing of entry tax post the Supreme Court's judgment have affected inter state movements of trucks.