Cheers of a “new dawn” reverberated through industry bodies and trade associations in Bengal on Monday as the BJP seemed set to sweep the Bengal Assembly election.
Bengal Inc expressed hope that the new government would focus on industrialisation, infrastructure creation, investor-friendly policies and stronger coordination with the Centre to revive the state's economic growth.
"A new dawn is on the horizon, with Bengal pinning all its hopes on big-ticket investments and accelerated business development and industrialisation, with a new thrust on Centre-State relations," said Naresh Pachisia, president, Bharat Chamber of Commerce.
He stressed the need for robust and transparent governance, progressive business-friendly policies, stable labour relations and immediate measures to improve Bengal's image among investors.
"Restoring investor confidence within a short timeframe will be crucial in reviving West Bengal's legacy as a leading industrial hub," he said, adding that the state could once again emerge as a dynamic "entrepreneurial super-highway".
Pachisia also called for diversified resource mobilisation, including leveraging central schemes and assistance from national and international agencies, while strengthening governance mechanisms to plug revenue leakages.
The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I) congratulated the BJP for securing an "overwhelming mandate" to form the government in the state.
"BCC&I looks forward to an environment that further strengthens investor confidence, ease of doing business, industrial development, employment generation, and policy stability in the state," the chamber said in a statement.
It said constructive governance and collaborative development would be critical to unlocking Bengal's economic potential and outlined priorities including world-class infrastructure, plug-and-play ecosystems for global capability centres, future-ready skilling initiatives and a robust industrial and IT policy framework.
The chamber stressed the need for institutional cooperation between government and industry, alongside fiscal flexibility and performance-linked incentives to catalyse investments.
West Bengal Hosiery Association president Sudesh Agarwal expressed hope that the new dispensation would extend special support to the textile sector in alignment with central government schemes.
He said the industry expected stronger Centre-State coordination for effective implementation of schemes, development of modern textile parks, efficient logistics and integrated value chains.
"In an evolving geopolitical environment marked by shifting supply chains, the state holds significant potential to emerge as a competitive and reliable textile hub, provided policy intent is matched by timely execution," Agarwal said.