Industry: Reviving a dying sector

Tanmay Mondal
IIM graduate, Batch of 2014


The Department of Commerce and Industries is responsible for the promotion and regulation of industries, trade and commerce in the State of West Bengal. With the progressive liberalization in the Indian economy, the role and functions of the department have increased many folds. Instead of bringing new industries and focusing on creating healthy environment for business in the state the previous government was busy in closing existing industries.

Several major initiatives have been taken in last 34 months by the present government; as a result new industries are showing their interest to enter West Bengal.


Reconstitution of Core Committee

Core Committee has been re-constituted, comprising representatives from the Chambers of Commerce and the Honorable Chief Minister as its Chairperson. The main objective of this Committee is to implement industrial projects and immediately solve problems relating to industry.


Single-Window Shilpa-Sathi

According to existing procedures, investors need to submit an array of application forms to different government departments to get relevant licenses and registrations. It often results in un-necessary delays due to lack of inter- departmental co-ordination.

To assist the investors in setting up industries in West Bengal, the Government of West Bengal has launched Shilpa Sathi where an investor can submit a Common Application Form in the Single Window Cell at WBIDC.


New Industrial policy and interesting incentives

• New Industrial Investment policy proposals are now performance-based and incentive-driven.

• Since May, 2011, Rs 528.22 crore has already been paid as incentive.


Investment proposal and implementation

The department of Commerce and Industry has received investment proposals from different companies including Steel Authority of India Ltd, Matrix Fertilizers and Chemicals, Great Eastern Energy, Ultratech Cement, Reliance Cement, Emami Cement, ACC, BAPL, ESSAR and the total estimated investment is around Rs 1,40,000 crore, out of which Rs 78,000 crore investment proposal are in progress.


Transparency in distribution of lands for industries

• 39 plots (1,829.68 acres) have been distributed by Industrial Development Corporation.

• 15 modules (1, 78,853 sq.ft.) have been distributed by Industrial Development Corporation.

• The proposed investment is Rs 17,744.8 crore and proposed employment is 47,650.

• In the year 2012-13, Rs 10.49 crore subsistence allowance has been dispensed to landless families of Singur.


14 Y Clearances

According to 14Y clause of the WBLR Act, clearance has already been provided to 14 projects, and 13 more projects will get recommendation soon, as a result the proposed investment will be Rs 67000 crore. The State government has launched an attractive incentive scheme, through which more assistance will be provided in a specified time frame.


Remarkable strides made by big industries in the state

Upcoming big projects are: BAPL, Matrix Fertilizers and Chemical Ltd., South Asia Rubber and Polymers Ltd., Bengal Shipyard, Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd., Ultratech Cement Ltd., ACC Ltd., Patton International.


Present and upcoming industrial parks

• The Plasto Steel Park, Barjora; Panagarh Industrials Park, Panagarh; Vidyasagar Industrials Park, Kharagpur; Food Park, Sankrail; Garment Park, Beleghata; Shilpangan– light engineering park, Salt Lake.

• New Industrial Park proposed by West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation will be established at Goaltor, Haldia, Budgebudge and Ankurhati.

• The plot/site booking is going on for the required land for Food Park, Phase III at Sankrail, Howrah and Gems and Jewellery Park at Ankurhati.

• A rubber park is being established on a 95 acre site at Domjur, Howrah. The proposed investment for the park is Rs 1500 crore and proposed employment is 10000.

• Foundry Park is being established on a 924 acre site at Ranihati, Howrah. The proposed investment for the park is Rs 2500 crore and proposed employment is 30000.

• In order to implement Chemical Park project at Howrah, the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation has proposed for a special purpose vehicle.

• The Growth Centre for the West Bengal Industrial infrastructure Development Corporation is operational in Coochbehar, Raninagar, Dabgram, Malda- I and II, Bishnupur, Kalyani I, II and III, Kharagpur, Uluberia, Haldia and Falta I and II.

• The West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has proposed for new industrial park at Guptamoni, Haringhata (Nadia), Falta and Coochbehar.


West Bengal Mineral Development and Marketing Corporation

The WBMTDC has increased the production of Black Stone Mining at Trans-Damodar Coal Mine Project in Barjora, Bankura, at Panchami and Hathgacha-Jethia in Birbhum and at Palsara in Purulia.


Creating infrastructure for enhancing international business

• Providing more than Rs 50 crore in various projects such as Land Customs Station, Tissue culture project at Phulbari and Hili in Dakshin Dinajpur.

• The Land Customs Station has been working at Phulbari at India-Bangladesh border since 2012-13.


Enhancement of effort

Development programs have been organized through participation in various programs such as Bengal Leads, India International Trade fair, Pragati Utsav and Mati Utsav.

Empowering farmers. Encouraging agriculture.

Samprati Motghare
IIM graduate, Batch of 2014


As 95% of farmers of the state are small and marginal farmers who operate on about 80% of the land under cultivation, it becomes important to provide support to farmers at different stages of cultivation, i.e. sowing, harvesting and post-harvesting (marketing of produce). Because of the change in strategy to produce crops as per market demand rather than focussing on just increasing the production levels, farmers had to bring changes in their agricultural practices and the government acted as a guide at each step.


You shall reap, what you sow

‘Tested Seeds’: To yield a uniform quality of produce, farmers are being educated to use seeds rather than using previous produce for sowing. This has increased the seed replacement rate of major crops and only ‘Tested Seeds’ were supplied in a timely manner through the state agricultural department. Two new seed testing facilities have been notified as per the act to cater to increased load of seed testing.


Support for fertilizers and weather forecasting

Vermi-compost facility: 34,492 Vermi-compost production centres have been set up to empower small and marginal farmers.

Weather forecasting centres: 45 automated Krishi weather forecasting centres are now operational, and there is a plan to establish 145 more such centres.

Fair price shops for fertilizers: In conjunction to better seeds, farmers were provided fertilizers through fair price shops with increased vigilance to check any malpractice.

Crop Insurance: The government also pays the premium of crop insurance and in turn motivates farmers to put all their efforts in to cultivation.


Financial support has increased manifold

Kisan Credit Card: Within 1000 days of governance, Kisan Credit Card has now been extended to 24,33,719 farmers which in itself is remarkable.

Electric connection for pump sets: To help in reducing cost of cultivation, a one-time assistance of Rs. 8,000 is given to farmers to avail electric connection for pump sets.

Pension for farmers: About 66,700 farmers have been brought under Farmer’s Old Age Pensions network.

Subsidy for farm equipment: Government subsidy ranging from Rs 45,000-10,000 has been given to 67,186 farmers for buying tractors, power tillers, power rippers, pump sets and small farm equipment, through direct transfer in Kisan credit bank accounts.

Support to marginal farmers: About 50,000 marginal farmers have been given Rs 5,000 each for purchasing small implements as per their choice.

Apart from financial support, Mobile Extension Units and regular broadcast of advisory and subsidy schemes over AIR and TV channels have helped in solving information asymmetry problems of farmers.


Developing markets for the produce to be sold

A unique approach to create markets for farmers at each block level through ‘Bruhat Krishi Bazaar’ has been adopted. It aims to formulate Farmer Interest Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations (already present in 6 districts) which will eradicate the middle men involved in the marketing of farm produce. The construction of 25 such markets will be complete by March 31, 2014. Another, 102 agri-markets are in the work-in-progress phase.


Achievements galore

West Bengal has received many accolades in the recent past for its achievements in agriculture. For two consecutive years it has received the ‘Krishi Karman Award’ from the Government of India. Software developed under the project on electronic-disease and pest surveillance has been rewarded with the India Geospatial Award for 2013-14.

The government believes that all these achievements are due to the farmers, and that is why it has started celebrating Maati Utsav. The day is marked by the Chief Minister spending a day with farmers and awarding the best performing farmers with ‘Krishi Ratna’ at the block level (Rs 10,000 and citation) and ‘Krishi Samman’ at district level (Rs 50,000 and citation).