Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, on Friday, 26 June said that reviving Kolkata as a major urban and economic hub is indispensable to building a high-growth network of cities across eastern India — and, by extension, to realising the national goal of a Viksit Bharat. Speaking at an event in Kolkata, Sanyal argued that a developed eastern India cannot be achieved without a developed Bengal, and that Kolkata, as the region's largest urban centre, sits at the heart of that equation.

The Eastern India Argument

'In order for you to have Viksit Bharat, you need to have a Viksit Eastern India and Viksit Bengal and Viksit Kolkata are key to this,' Sanyal said. He underscored the need to cultivate a network of fast-growing urban centres spread across the eastern belt. Cities such as Patna, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar must emerge as independent growth engines, he noted, but stressed that Kolkata's primacy in the region makes its revival the single most critical lever for accelerating eastern India's economic trajectory.

What Kolkata Needs to Fix

Sanyal pointed to the need for sustained investment in Kolkata's urban ecosystem, identifying two broad areas requiring attention: targeted redevelopment initiatives and a review of industrial policies that critics argue have not been sufficiently supportive of business and investment. He did not name specific policy changes but indicated that multiple, simultaneous interventions would be necessary to restore the city's growth momentum — suggesting the challenge is structural rather than cyclical.

Bengal's Entrepreneurial Heritage

A recurring theme in Sanyal's address was Bengal's historical identity as a seat of trade and entrepreneurship. He argued that the spirit of innovation, risk-taking, and enterprise for which Bengalis were historically known needs to be actively revived. According to him, business is deeply embedded in the state's culture, and rekindling that tradition is as important as any policy intervention.

The Bigger Picture

Sanyal framed Kolkata's revival not as a regional concern but as a national imperative. A stronger eastern India, he argued, would rebalance India's economic geography — which has historically tilted toward the west and south — and contribute meaningfully to the broader Viksit Bharat vision. Strengthening Kolkata's economic and urban ecosystem, he said, would be central to achieving that objective. The remarks come at a time when eastern India continues to lag key development indicators relative to other regions, making the political and economic case for focused intervention increasingly urgent.