Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Oversee Preparations for Bengal Global Business Summit Today
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Kolkata, Jan 8 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, will preside over a meeting on Wednesday to evaluate the preparations for the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) 2025, which is the annual business gathering organized by the state government to lure industrial investments.
This year, the two-day BGBS is slated for February 5 and 6.
According to sources within the state government, the meeting will also include the state Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, along with other bureaucrats who have been specifically tasked with ensuring that the preparations are comprehensive.
Furthermore, it was noted that this time the Chief Minister assigned the bureaucrats their tasks well ahead of schedule to avoid any last-minute complications at the event.
Political analysts believe that BGBS-2025 holds significant importance for the Chief Minister, particularly from a political standpoint, given that the state Assembly elections are approaching in 2026.
“This event provides a prime opportunity for the Chief Minister to convey to both the industrial community and the general electorate that her administration genuinely aims to create an industry-friendly atmosphere in the state,” stated a political analyst based in the city.
However, he also remarked that unless the Chief Minister articulates specific changes regarding land and special economic zone (SEZ) policies, the business meeting might resemble those of previous years.
Economists and industry experts have long criticized the current land policy in West Bengal, which prohibits government intervention in land acquisition for industries. Given the fragmented nature of land ownership in the state, attracting investors willing to engage with individual landowners for substantial land parcels necessary for large industries becomes problematic. In addition, the state government's outright refusal to grant new SEZ status is dissuading service sector investors, particularly in the ITeS (Information Technology Enabled Services) domain, from investing in West Bengal.
