US official, Mamata discuss investment, technology

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon on Thursday called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and discussed wide-ranging issues including investment in the state.

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra among others was present at the meeting held at the state secretariat "Nabanna".

Banerjee said the issues discussed included investment, technology, culture and the social media.

"We have very good relations with them (the US). A large number of students from our state study there. We discussed lot of issues like investment, technology, culture and social media," she said after the meeting.

According to sources, the discussion mostly hovered around American investment in the state.

This was the first time a US delegation met Banerjee after her Trinamool Congress swept to power for the second consecutive time in the state with a massive mandate.

Thanking Banerjee for the meeting, Shannon said his country has old ties with Kolkata and the relationship will expand in the coming days.

"India has good relations with American. Our relations with Kolkata is also very old. This will increase in the days to come. This conversation will continue," he said.

In 2012, the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had met Banerjee in the city.

--IANS

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