Chief minister Mamata Banerjee underscored the need to set up industrial units under micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across north Bengal and insisted on setting up more industrial parks for such units at the North Bengal Business Meet held in Siliguri on Monday.
The move is being seen as a part of the state government’s plan to encourage smaller industrial investments from private entrepreneurs to create jobs and arrest the trend of migration of unemployed youths from north Bengal to other states.
“We are encouraging MSME units and working on a specific set of policies to encourage private investments. Major investments are always welcome, but small-scale units, which have mushroomed across north Bengal and in the rest of the state, employ thousands of people. We want more such units to come up,” the chief minister said at the meeting held in Siliguri's Dinabandhu Mancha on Day One of her three-day trip to north Bengal.
During the event, Mamata inaugurated four industrial parks developed by the West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation (WBSIDC) in Ambari-Falakata and Dabgram of Jalpaiguri district and Ethelbari and Jaigaon of Alipurduar district.
In north Bengal, tea and tourism are two major sectors of employment. Over the years, MSME units have come up in the region but not enough to meet the demand for jobs. As a result, thousands of people, particularly youths, have moved to other states in search of jobs, especially from districts like Malda, North and South Dinajpur, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri.
“In recent times, many of them have started returning from those states after facing harassment by residents there and even by a section of the police. Some of them have even been assaulted in their workplaces,” pointed out Soumen Nag, a social researcher based in Siliguri.
He said that as the Centre stopped providing funds to the 100-days job scheme, the state government is keener to explore the potential of MSME units to provide jobs and bring down the rate of migration.
“MSME units engage a large number of semi-skilled and unskilled workers. That is why, it seems, the chief minister is emphasising setting up such units to create employment opportunities among the masses,” Nag said.
The chief minister also interacted with representatives of trade bodies who came from the north Bengal districts. She said that the state was ready to provide land for industrial parks and clusters.
“We want more such clusters and industrial parks to come up where multiple industrial units can be accommodated. In the four parks which we inaugurated today (Monday), industrial units will provide jobs to around 5,000 people,” said Mamata.
Representatives of different trade bodies present at the meet elaborated certain concerns which the chief minister and chief secretary Manoj Pant took cognisance of.
“The administration and the state government are ready to extend all help to private investors,” Pant said in his speech.
Convention centre
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee proposed the construction of a convention centre of global standards in Siliguri in her speech at the North Bengal Business Meet on Monday.
“We have such a centre in Digha and the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Calcutta. Such a centre should also come up in Siliguri for business meetings and other events. A hotel can also come up at the site,” Mamata said.
She said that the state government had an 18-acre plot opposite the Uttarayon township off NH10 on the northwest outskirts of Siliguri. “The centre can come up there. A committee led by the chief secretary would be formed for the project. We have prominent entrepreneurs with us who can take the lead for constructing such a centre,” she added.
Inaugurations
Mamata inaugurated a skywalk at the Jalpesh temple, a popular Shiva temple in the Mainaguri block of Jalpaiguri. She also inaugurated a data centre that has come up at Webel Park in Matigara, Siliguri, at a cost of around ₹100 crore.
“We have also inaugurated four industrial parks today (Monday). Some more projects will be inaugurated tomorrow (Tuesday),” she said.
On Tuesday, Mamata will attend a public service distribution event at a ground near Uttarkanya in Siliguri.