A bittersweet story

The Bengal Global Business Summit in early January might not have translated into any big investments for the host state, but almost a week later, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unveiled a business initiative that is sure to lure sweetmeat aficionados, if not investors, to the state. She laid the foundation stone for a "langcha hub" in Bardhaman with a common facility centre for langcha, sitabhog and mihidana, the famous sweets from that district. The state would promote the facility as a sort of pilgrimage or langcha tirtha, where a visitor could savour the sweet delicacies of Bengal. Banerjee's love for home-grown industry is not new - in earlier business summits she had vociferously spoken in favour of promoting incense sticks and zari factories in the state.