Bengal’s new government will create a business-friendly environment, but it is up to Bengali entrepreneurs to take advantage of it, state finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said on Monday.
“This is a government that is openly pro-business. There is no doubt about this. As a government, we can create an environment that is conducive to business. The question is how Bengali entrepreneurs can take advantage of it,” Dasgupta told an audience comprising veteran entrepreneurs and members of academia.
He was speaking at a “Thought Leadership Roundtable to Shape the Roadmap for Bengal’s Economic Renaissance”, organised by the Bengal Business Council, a collective of Bengali-led enterprises formed to create a platform for collaboration, networking and entrepreneurship. The event was held at the historic Senate Hall of Calcutta University, which co-hosted the programme with the council.
A familiar lament dominated the discussion: that Bengalis, once known for their entrepreneurial spirit, now prefer secure jobs.
That mentality was changing and the BJP meant business, Dasgupta said. “There will be a single window for permissions. But we cannot reserve anything for Bengalis. You must find out how to take advantage of all these in a competitive landscape,” he said.
“We will revisit the Urban Land Ceiling Act. That will help you. In retail, we are working on the Shops and Establishments Act to allow 24x7 retail operations. That should be a boom for retail. We are coming up with a special cloud kitchen scheme for women entrepreneurs. As Bengali entrepreneurs, what sort of advantage can you take from it?” he said.
“We are not thinking big enough. Take the example of IIT Kharagpur. It is a reputable institution. But is it fostering innovation that helps West Bengal and, by implication, Bengali entrepreneurs? This is the role of civil society, as a community of businessmen, to try. You bring proposals. We will push it forward.”
Later, Metro asked Dasgupta whether Calcutta had the infrastructure needed to support round-the-clock retail operations. The last Metro trains leave the terminal stations before 10pm, and many roads are largely deserted late at night.
“We must facilitate 24x7 operations. There must be adequate policing. Women’s safety must be ensured. Metro Railway should run trains at least beyond midnight,” he said.
Commerce and industries minister Tapas Roy told the audience that “four to five big companies” would invest in Bengal before Puja.
Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, council president and founder and former chief of Bandhan Bank, outlined the council’s vision for Bengal across sectors. He called for greater support for rural enterprises and easier access to capital.
Subrata Dutta, vice-president of the council and managing director of the George Telegraph Group, said the council wanted to bring on board Bengali entrepreneurs from across the world. “We don’t seek alms from the state; we want cooperation and support,” he said.
Ashutosh Ghosh, vice- chancellor of Calcutta University, said there was a time when people thought a university was not the place for the pursuit of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The times were changing, he said, calling for more industry-academia collaboration to increase the employability of young people.