Siliguri, July 5 -- With an aim to unlock North Bengal's economic potential and attract fresh investments, the North Bengal Industry Conclave was held in Siliguri on Sunday. The conference was organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BNCCI) in association with the Techno India Group at Mayfair Tea Resort.
The event brought together policymakers, industrialists, investors, tourism stakeholders and business leaders to discuss strategies for strengthening North Bengal as a major economic and industrial corridor.
Among those present were Shankar Ghosh, West Bengal Tourism minister, Ashok Kumar Banik, BNCCI president, Amit Saha, senior vice president, Alok Sarkar, Techno India Group vice president Bhaskar Roy, BNCCI Industry Standing Committee chairman Ritwik Das, hotelier Ajay Edwards, along with entrepreneurs, investors and representatives from the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The conclave featured discussions across eight key sectors, including tea and tea tourism, tourism and hospitality, the plywood industry, housing and infrastructure, MSME growth and industrial expansion, education and skill development, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, and sustainable development with biodiversity conservation.
Speaking at the event, BNCCI senior vice president Amit Saha said: "The 140-year-old chamber had organised its first-ever conclave dedicated exclusively to North Bengal. The objective was to promote industrial and commercial development across the region by preparing a roadmap based on discussions with stakeholders, which would later be presented to the state government."
Tourism minister Shankar Ghosh said: "Tourism will serve as the second key pillar of West Bengal's economic development. Mirik and Kalimpong will be developed as alternative tourist destinations in the region as Darjeeling continues to face overcrowding." He also stated that all the promises mentioned in the budget will be fulfilled.
BNCCI announced that a detailed report based on the discussions would be submitted to the state government for consideration. BNCCI president Ashok Kumar Banik said the conference marked an important milestone for North Bengal, with business leaders expressing interest in investing in the region. "The chamber would seek government support to promote sectors such as tourism, tea, healthcare, education, industry and the film sector. Every district of North Bengal benefits from the proposed development initiatives," he added.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.