Ness Wadia in Calcutta on Friday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta, Sept. 14: The Wadia group is planning to invest in healthcare, education and infrastructure in the state.

“I met the chief minister and discussed the business opportunities in the three sectors in the state,” said Ness Wadia, joint managing director of Bombay Dyeing, the flagship company of the Wadia group.

He was speaking to reporters after the national executive committee meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).

However, he has not placed any concrete proposal.

“We have a hospital in Mumbai exclusively for women and children which we are planning to revive. The Wadia group also runs two educational institutions in Mumbai. These institutions are at present run by a charitable trust of the group. But now, healthcare and education entail immense business opportunities,” Wadia said.

Bombay Dyeing has three divisions, including a real estate outfit that is working on two residential housing projects in Maharashtra, he said.

“Through this division we can explore the opportunities in infrastructure such as housing and car parking in the state,” Wadia said.

The group may also set up a manufacturing base in the state through the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, which has interests in tea, teak and weighing machines.

The Wadias are planning to use the huge cash reserves of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation to fund its proposed acquisition of Groupe Danone’s 25.5 per cent stake in Britannia Industries. Bombay Burmah has more than Rs 600 crore in reserves and surplus.

Ness Wadia was non-committal on the Danone takeover issue. He said Bombay Dyeing was undergoing a makeover.

The company has recently appointed S.K. Gupta as chief executive officer. Gupta was previously with Raymonds.