Letters: Don't expect a miracle

Apropos the editorial, "Last port of call" (December 30), with Assembly election due in West Bengal next year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is walking on thin ice, given that she does not have much to show in terms of development and growth since she ousted the Left Front government in the state four years ago.

She came in with much fanfare, but on most fronts she has disappointed the people of the state. Goons from the ruling Trinamool Congress caused chaos several times and the CM's comments on the Park Street rape case did not help her reputation either.

Against this backdrop and the Singur land controversy still not too old, it would be surprising if Banerjee follows the advice of India's Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian. Subramanian's suggestion of an "exit" for Kolkata Port so that the land controlled by it can be put to more productive use is a pragmatic one, given that traffic at the port has dropped to eight per cent and does not deserve the financial resources spent on keeping it afloat.

Singapore is the benchmark of efficiency; comparing West Bengal with it is not practical. West Bengal is run by a populist government and chief minister. A glance at the history of the state reveals how labour and trade unions held governments to ransom.

I agree with the editorial that the decline of the Kolkata port system is linked to the decline in investments in eastern India. From being an industrial hub, West Bengal has reached a low point. I do not expect a miracle from Banerjee now.

Bal Govind Noida

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