North Bengal draws investment intents worth Rs 1702 crore
Synopsis
The proposed projects for units in food processing, dairy, food and beverages, animal husbandry, rice mills, pulse mills, flour mills, cold storage, etc,.
By Anuradha Himatsingka, ET Bureau
Last Updated:
KOLKATA: North Bengal has drawn investment proposals to the tune of Rs 1702 crore in the two-day Agri Business Synergy organised in Siliguri by the department of industry.
The proposed projects for units in food processing, dairy, food and beverages, animal husbandry, rice mills, pulse mills, flour mills, cold storage, food parks, fertilizer units, industrial parks, and others, in the region will generate significant employment, both direct and indirect, he added.
Currently, the industry facilitation centre at Uttarkanya provides support on matters related to clearances, finance and technology.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has, on several occasions, said that North Bengal must be developed by maximizing the huge potential the region possesses. All stakeholders must come forward and work together to translate the vision into a reality, create more jobs and offer livelihood opportunities, said Sanjeev Chopra, additional chief secretary, department of agriculture.
The two-day synergy was organised in collaboration with the departments of agriculture, agri marketing, food processing and horticulture, animal resource development, food and supplies, fisheries, biotechnology, North Bengal development department and Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority and in partnership with CII and CII-Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence.
Mr Pradip Mazumdar, adviser to the CM on agriculture and allied sectors, WB, explained why the state government has turned its focus on farming and allied activities.
"Two-thirds of the people living in WB live on farming. The fact that West Bengal is a leading food producer will surely act as a catalyst for development of agribusiness here," he said.
He also stressed the need for taking an income-driven approach backed by a market-driven one by reducing the cost of cultivation.
North Bengal, with its basket of products including tea, pineapple, mango, oranges, strawberry, vegetables, medicinal, aromatic rice, needs a developed supply chain for crops such as grains, oilseeds, plantation crops, spices, fruits and vegetables as well as cold storage facilities. The move will help the region tap export market.
"We urge investors to open units of milk and milk products, meat and meat processing and poultry as the government offers several incentive schemes," said B P Gopalika, principal secretary, animal resources development, West Bengal.
Incidentally, there is a great demand too for broiler breeding farms and meat processing, pig and rabbit rearing.
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Industry and Commerce & Enterprises additional chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said, the state government has set up dedicated help desks with the objective of helping some projects get clearances in a few hours.The proposed projects for units in food processing, dairy, food and beverages, animal husbandry, rice mills, pulse mills, flour mills, cold storage, food parks, fertilizer units, industrial parks, and others, in the region will generate significant employment, both direct and indirect, he added.
Currently, the industry facilitation centre at Uttarkanya provides support on matters related to clearances, finance and technology.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has, on several occasions, said that North Bengal must be developed by maximizing the huge potential the region possesses. All stakeholders must come forward and work together to translate the vision into a reality, create more jobs and offer livelihood opportunities, said Sanjeev Chopra, additional chief secretary, department of agriculture.
The two-day synergy was organised in collaboration with the departments of agriculture, agri marketing, food processing and horticulture, animal resource development, food and supplies, fisheries, biotechnology, North Bengal development department and Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority and in partnership with CII and CII-Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence.
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Mr Pradip Mazumdar, adviser to the CM on agriculture and allied sectors, WB, explained why the state government has turned its focus on farming and allied activities.
"Two-thirds of the people living in WB live on farming. The fact that West Bengal is a leading food producer will surely act as a catalyst for development of agribusiness here," he said.
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He also stressed the need for taking an income-driven approach backed by a market-driven one by reducing the cost of cultivation.
North Bengal, with its basket of products including tea, pineapple, mango, oranges, strawberry, vegetables, medicinal, aromatic rice, needs a developed supply chain for crops such as grains, oilseeds, plantation crops, spices, fruits and vegetables as well as cold storage facilities. The move will help the region tap export market.
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"We urge investors to open units of milk and milk products, meat and meat processing and poultry as the government offers several incentive schemes," said B P Gopalika, principal secretary, animal resources development, West Bengal.
Incidentally, there is a great demand too for broiler breeding farms and meat processing, pig and rabbit rearing.
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
