Kolkata, March 12 -- Expenditure on physical infrastructure by the West Bengal government has increased 11 times over the last 15 years, strengthening the state's business ecosystem and making it an attractive destination for industry, Vandana Yadav, principal secretary of the state's Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Department, said on Thursday.
Speaking at the 125th annual session of the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Yadav said infrastructure development - including roads and logistics networks - plays a crucial role in improving business efficiency and industrial growth. She said improved infrastructure has helped the state leverage its logistical advantages and support the growth of the logistics sector.
Yadav said the state government has introduced an industrial and economic corridor policy under which six corridors are being developed to facilitate smoother movement of goods and support industrial activity.
Highlighting policy initiatives aimed at improving the ease of doing business, she said the government has begun offering industrial land on a freehold basis, which makes it easier for enterprises to manage long-term investments.
She acknowledged that the state faces land constraints, as large parts of West Bengal are fertile and produce multiple crops annually. "Land that yields three crops a year cannot logically be diverted for industrial use," she said, adding that efforts are being made to identify suitable areas for industrial development.
In north Bengal, she said that land in vacant tea gardens is being explored for industrial purposes where feasible.
Yadav also pointed to the state's large consumer base as a major economic advantage, noting that welfare schemes such as Lakshmi Bhandar have boosted consumption and strengthened the market for consumer goods and services.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.