Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, batted for a zero-tolerance policy against delays and laxity due to bureaucratic hurdles in executing industrial projects in Bengal.
Addressing a review meeting at Nabanna, she warned that none should take a single penny against providing facilities for any government projects. If found, action will be taken.
“The state government’s projects are for the welfare of the people. Taking money against such a project is a crime. No one has the right to do so,” she said.
Banerjee, while chairing the first meeting of the State Level Investment Synergy Committee said: “Red tape bureaucracy needs to change. Time has changed. Employment has to be created. Speedy and time-bound solutions are the need of the hour. Any application should be disposed of within a month. Anybody found to be dragging things will face the consequences.”
She called for coordination among different departments for time-bound project clearance.
Banerjee asserted monitoring progress status of projects and proactive efforts to clear logjams. “I urge the chief secretary to introduce real-time tracking of applications. He should chair a meeting every 15 days. Interested industry captains may also join with prior intimation,” she added.
She unveiled the State Level Synergy Investment Committee portal where the investors canvass their views, suggestions and advice.
In a strong message, Banerjee warned the trade union and local leaders against causing obstructions for the industry people.
“If you have any issue, speak directly with the state administration to solve the matter,” she maintained.
The Chief Minister clarified that retrenchment by industrial units has to be negotiated with the Labour department. “No personal interests should be entertained,” she remarked.
Banerjee acknowledged the demand for land from the industry and said there are proposals for setting up five steel plants, involving an investment of Rs 35,000 crore with job potential for 50,000 people.
“In less than a month after the Bengal Global Business Summit (February 5 and 6), 1005 industrial projects were given the nod to operate by the Environment department while 1026 applications were cleared,” Banerjee shared.
Some of the big ticket projects that received the state government’s approval after the BGBS includes Essar Oil and Gas Corporation at Raniganj with Rs 491.49 crore investment; Palladium Construction with Rs 631 crore in Alipore; Captain Steel Industry with Rs 170 crore in East Burdwan; Ultratech Cement with Rs 149.80 crore in Durgapur; Godrej Properties Ltd with Rs 496.56 crore at Khardah; Bengal Ambuja Housing with Rs 570 crore at Barkhola, West Midnapore; Shyam Steel with Rs 1500 crore at Purulia to name a few.
Banerjee said that in 108 industrial parks, out of 10976 acres of land over 1500 acres are still vacant which can be used for industrialisation.
She added that the government is in the process of establishing six economic corridors that will touch all districts of the state. For this, 3000 acres have already been identified.
She directed concerned secretaries of all departments to send reports of unused lands under their respective departments in seven days. “No land should be kept idle or forcibly taken away, and government secretaries have to look into this,” she added.
She instructed for setting up a synergy committee at the district level headed by the district magistrate within three days so that the applications can be looked into at the district level too.
Banerjee announced that the Kalighat Skywalk will be inaugurated on April 14.