West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra claims there is real change on the ground in the state. But the big question is whether industry too feels the same way. Harshavardhan Neotia, chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group, believes, the Bengal government is keen to fast track development in the state. He says, there has been a significant amount of progress in the last two years.
The state of West Bengal also goes into polls next year. But Hemant Kanoria, CMD, SREI Infra, does not think the push for development is because of that. "There is not much interference from the government that they want to stop things from happening. And it is not because of 2016 elections because more or less everyone knows that TMC will come back to power in 2016," he adds. Going ahead, he wants to see decentralisation of decision-making.
Another issue that is plaguing the entire nation is that of land acquisition. When asked if it was a problem in the state as well, Sanjiv Puri, Director, ITC, while praising the Bengal government, says all my projects in Bengal have commenced, which means land was made available. ITC is investing Rs 3000 crore in the state.
Dalmia Bharat Cement has gone a step further. The company has invested Rs 600 crore in Maoist-infested West Midnapore. Puneet Dalmia, MD, Dalmia Bharat Cement says despite all the fears attached to it, the company had no cost overruns or time overruns as far as the project is concerned.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
