Bengal govt to announce Industrial township at Howrah

The West Bengal government will soon announce an industrial township in Howrah district, a top official of the state Industries department said today.
Some 20,000-30,000 acres of Howrah district covering several proposed industrial parks like foundry, chemical, plastic and rubber will be announced as industrial township and an announcement is expected within next three months.
"In order to offer better infrastructural support to various industrial parks we have decided to announce an industrial town covering 20,000-30,000 acres and announcement can come in the next three months," West Bengal Industries secretary Rajiva Sinha said at Merchants' Chamber of Commerce & Industries, here.

Sinha said this will be done on the lines of Bantala township and will enable government to invest in basic infrastructure for industrial development.
However, even though township status will be created at Howrah, government will not acquire any land nor will it disturb any existing activity there.
He said it will be up to the people there in the area to decide what they wish to do with their land even they hold agricultural land.

But, once industrial township status it will be easier to convert agricultural land for industry.
Government investment could be in the tune of Rs 2,000 crore and the area is estimated to attract investment worth Rs 46,000 crore.

Sinha categorically pointed that West Bengal land policy is very clear and expects industry to respect the state government stand and denied that 14Y of the land reforms act is a hurdle.
He was speaking to a question by a industry saying 14Y was the main hurdle for them to expand and government was not offering advance permission to buy land beyond state's land ceiling limits.
Meanwhile, Bhutan's trade consul Leki Tenzin said turmoils like Barishat and Darjeeling should be resolved otherwise it will discourage investments.