Centre to invest Rs.21,350 crore for Bengal infrastructure development

The central government has sanctioned Rs.21,350 crore for infrastructure development in the port and road sector in West Bengal, it was announced Tuesday.

Briefing media persons after a meeting at the secretariat "Nabanna", union Surface Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Kolkata Port Trust along with the state government would construct a port in the Sagar Islands at an investment of Rs.12,000 crore.

"There is also a need to construct a bridge or an underground tunnel for this purpose in addition to a railway line, and a consultant will be appointed for this," said Gadkari.

Additional investments of Rs.3,350 crore in the port sector like floating storages, dry bulk cargo handling terminal among others has also been sanctioned.

Gadkari said Banerjee has assured of full cooperation of the state government for the projects which would boost its economy.

Rs.6,000 crore have been sanctioned for the roads sector in the state.

Banerjee said the state government would provide whatever support was required and extend full cooperation. "Politics is politics and development is development," she said.

The chief minister also invited Gadkari for the Bengal Global Summit to be held in Kolkata Jan 6-8 next year.