PARTHA ROY, KOLKATA: Industry leaders at the CII West Bengal Annual Meeting & Conference emphasized that West Bengal’s industries will play a pivotal role in India’s Viksit Bharat@2047 journey, setting new benchmarks in industrial development. Entrepreneurs and industrialists are nation builders who chart innovative paths for economic growth, generate livelihoods, and empower thousands directly and indirectly. West Bengal has played significantly important role in India ‘s economic development since pre – independence days.
The Conference, themed “West Bengal: Poised to Lead – Riding the Next Growth Wave,” convened key stakeholders in Kolkata to discuss emerging growth drivers, including entrepreneurship, the rolling stock ecosystem, and infrastructure acceleration. West Bengal’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and robust industrial base were underscored as key enablers for positioning the state as a leading growth engine. The inaugural session was moderated by Debashis Dutta, while Prithish Choudhary moderated the rolling stock session. Rupak Barua delivered the vote of thanks.
Jayanta Ray of Peerless Group stated that West Bengal is open for business and ready to lead, thanks to improvements in ease of doing business and progressive policies. He highlighted the state’s educated, discerning customer base as a strong market for growth, noting his group’s Rs 1,000 crore investment in healthcare to create over 5,000 jobs by 2030. Ray expressed firm belief that 21st-century business transformation will originate from West Bengal, with his vision centered on “Amar Bangla, Agamir Bangla.”
Kabi Dutta, Chairman of Asansol Durgapur Development Council, pointed out Durgapur’s reliable electricity, mineral resources, and infrastructure, urging investors to view the Durgapur-Asansol region as a prime destination.
Prasoon Mukherjee, Chairman of Universal Success Enterprises and Singapore Business Federation’s India Business Committee, announced a Rs 2,000 crore data center in Bengal Silicon Valley to bolster AI infrastructure and economic contributions. He stressed the potential for deeper Singapore-Bengal ties through meaningful partnerships.
Mehul Mohanka, Deputy Chairman of CII Eastern Region and Group CEO of Tega Industries, highlighted West Bengal’s 10 crore population, rising middle class, and gateway status to Northeast and Southeast Asia, projecting the state to contribute nearly one-fifth of India’s national income by 2029-30. He advocated leveraging digital tools across sectors.
Former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly drew parallels between sports and business, emphasizing teamwork, investment in people, self-belief, risk-taking, and resilience amid successes and failures. C S Ghosh, Chairman of Bandhan Group, called for encouraging inclusiveness in entrepreneurship, building trust, and focusing on branding and legacy for sustained growth. Dipankar Bhattacharyya, Director of the CII West Bengal State Council, along with the Team CII, played a pivotal role in successfully organizing the annual day.
The conference featured sessions on Global Capability Centres (GCCs), rolling stock, infrastructure, and sustainable mobility. CII West Bengal launched its GCC Council and unveiled the “VisionSync Status Paper” titled “Kolkata: India’s Eastern Gateway for GCCs,” outlining a roadmap for high-value operations through industry-academia-government collaboration.