‘Bengal Day’ observed at India International Trade Fair(IITF) 2023

Dilip Guha, New Delhi: The India International Trade Fair is a major event organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The fair is held between 14th and 27th November every year at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. All states and Union Territories showcase their cultural heritage handicrafts and handloom creations. West Bengal participates in a big way, exhibiting its great artistic and cultural traditions and promoting itself as a tourism and business hub to potential visitors and investors. Every state has been allocated a designated day for the celebration of their respective art and culture of the state. and this year ‘West Bengal Day’ was celebrated at the India International Trade Fair 2023 on Sunday during the exposition.

On the occasion, Dr. Shashi Panja, Hon’ble Minister Dept. of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare; Industry, Commerce & Enterprises, Government of West Bengal, held a press conference at conference hall Pragati Maidan and briefed the media about the “Bengal Pavilion” and discussed the various developmental projects of West Bengal. Smt Sumita Bagchi, SPL Secretary, Sonali Dutta Ray additional Secretary of Govt of West Bengal, and Ujjaini Datta Resident Commissioner at Delhi were also present on the occasion.

The Minister said “We have participated in the trade fair and have a pavilion, Based on the theme, of IITF “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, with almost 16 stalls, eight belonging to MSME and its parastatals and the rest about seven other departments and one was these sweets. I was doing a stock-taking and was informed that there’s been a huge footfall in our West Bengal pavilion. Eight stalls are under the MSME department working for the promotion of textile, Handicrafts, Handlooms, and village industries, Biswa Bangla, Banglar saree, Tantuja, Manjusha, Khadi & Village industry, Bangashree, and Resham Shilpi.

The departments that participated include Commerce and Enterprises, MSME dept, Mohila somobye, West Bengal Trade Export Promotion Society self-help group and self-employment, Panchayat RD, Agricultural and Mktg, Animal Resource & Dev, Tribal Dept, Information, and Cultural Affairs, Tourism Department.

Now, this time, the first-time participants were three of them and, it is Didi’s dream was the “Banglar saree” which was launched on the 8th of November and the showrooms were opened. She did it virtually from Kolkata and the one showroom at Bongo Bhawan inaugurated on that day. This was the first time it took part in IITF and it speaks about inclusivity, in this sense because all the different saris that are manufactured in different districts of Bengal all of them bought under one roof, the idea is to make a brand “Banglar Sari” So, this also includes sarees from say beginning 350 rupees to a high-end sari.

“We have two schemes which are called Konna Sree and Lakshmi Bandar and where we reach out to the marginalized section of society, this is a sari that is affordable by all of them. The potential is very good and there is a huge demand for Banglar saris made up of natural fibers which are used, like cotton, linen, muslin, and silk. They are absolutely unique and the weaving process is also unique. We have seen that there is good revenue generation also and many people have visited this stall.”

“The second stall which participated for the first time was Tribal Development. Again, the government of West Bengal has always focused on tribal development and its issues for its development and welfare activities. So, their participation essentially was also very important and there was a huge demand for “candles” I understand that none of the participants in the entire fair had these candles which have been very well acclaimed from Kalimpong and there has been a huge rush for it”.

“The third department that participated for the first time was the Panchayat and Rural Development Department and we do very good work in the Panchayat and Rural Development Department despite the economic blockage and in spite of the obstruction of the funds which have taken place. “She announced a piece of good news which came in relation to the International Trade Fair the Indian Trade Promotion Organization, ITPO, Bengal pavilion has been selected for an award, considered for presentation in a ceremony on the closing day of 27th Nov,2023. She said that “this acclaim is also definitely a big, I would say, it’s an impetus for those who are all participating this time in the various stalls and of course, they have worked hard towards it”. She spoke about the recently held Bengal summit at Kolkata, in length, and gave facts and figures that came out of the summit.

She said, “We have also mentioned in the past that our state has a very strategic location, with a well-developed infrastructure, very good linkages, road, railway, port linkages. And we are also expanding our logistics infrastructure. The good thing about it is that we connect with the North East, the rest of India, and of course beyond India to Southeast Asia. So the logistics costs are also low outside of West Bengal.”

The stalls at the pavilion aim to highlight the work done under the chief ministership of Smt. Mamata Banerjee. She commended the development in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in Bengal, emphasizing the significance of trade corridors like Dankuni-Kalyani-Raghunathpur and Dankuni-Haldia for industrial expansion.

She said “The connectivity of West Bengal goes through an extensive network of roads and railways. And we serve as a critical corridor, as I said, between India and the countries in Southeast Asia, like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. The third largest road network, leading rail network density, international airports at Kolkata and Bagdogra, Greenfield airport, which is running well at Andal, and also which has started off for Kalgoor too. The growth corridors, which our Honourable Chief Minister has spoken of earlier too, the industrial and economic corridors,

Dhankuni-Raghunathpur, Dhankuni-Kulnani, Dhankuni-Haldia, to begin with, and also to connect to Murshidabad and to North Bengal. Industrial zones complement it, with infrastructure, logistic parks, and townships along these corridors. We have also, since then, come out with industrial and economic policy.”

Ease of doing business, Shivpur Shathi, is also one of the things that we wish to highlight. And we also have the logistics policy, the export promotion policy, which has come out this year, and, the land allotments, which have been made, which are land-based and modular-based industrial parks.

She mentioned the policies that were also announced, At the recently concluded, BGBS, the Bengal Global Business Summit. Five new policies namely the West Bengal Logistics Policy 2023, the West Bengal Internet Cable Landing Station Policy 2023, West Bengal Export Policy 2023, Green Hydrogen Policy 2023, and West Bengal New and Renewable Energy Manufacturing Promotion Policy 2023, were essentially the new ones announced.

She informed the media that there is also the West Bengal Textile Incentive Policy with a modification and there are also others that are associated with the Animal Resources Department, the Agri Marketing also the West Bengal Land Conversions leasehold to freehold. These were also game changers because these are absolutely on par with the present situation and the demands of the present world of the industry.

Earlier, announce but There was a revision of it, in the sand mining policy, the West Bengal ethanol production and promotion policy, the policy of mining of minor minerals in private or rayatti land in Bengal, the industrial and the economic corridor policy, is very important, besides the tea tourism policy, tea tourism and the allied business policy. These are some of the few lines about the recently concluded Bengal Global Business Summit, which was very successful, The Honourable Chief Minister addressed all the delegates.

Regarding the Tejpur Port project, she said that “there was a provisional LOI which was granted to the highest bidder for the development of Tajpur Port. The requisite permissions were then sought from the Government of India from 4 departments: the Department of Shipping, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of the and External Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India has given a conditional security clearance and has made certain observations that the state government and the Adani group are working on this, and we’ve sought clarification and communications.”

Regarding land acquisition and leasehold land to freehold policy on industry parks/ govt lands, she mentioned that The honorable Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee has a clear concept that the Extraction of land will be done in phases but the first priority will be the rehabilitation of existing householders. A land bank will be created for which the govt will identify unused and unutilized land of various govt departments and subsequently make them freehold from leasehold for the purpose of setting industry. She mentioned the land of Dhakeshwari cotton mills, which was shut down long ago, now after the acquisition of land resumption was done part-wise.

A musical evening was held at the Amphitheatre where A troupe of Baul singers (wandering minstrels) staged a live performance to popularise the folk tradition of Bengal. The popular Bangla Band “Dohar” gave a live performance of Bengal Folk songs and seamlessly weaved through the cultural tapestry of Rural Bengal, offering a unique and immersive experience to the audience.

The folk music of Bengal has a special place in the lives of the people of the state. This time round, Bengali folk band Dohar performed a spectacular performance. Founded in 1999, Dohar, which works extensively to preserve folk music and instruments, has been enthralling audiences across the globe for more than two decades now.

The band rendered some of their hit songs of Lalon Fakir, Hassan Raja, Rabi Thakur, Folk geeti of Rarh Bongo, Jhooumur Gaan, Radha Raman Guptu Dhamaili Gaan, and shyama sangeet etc. The event not only celebrates folk music but won the hearts of many fans with folk music, sometimes combined with fusion.