Environment Ministry clears 39 projects in West Bengal

A spate of investment is likely to take place soon in West Bengal with 38 industrial projects belonging to the central, state and private sectors are set to take off following clearance from the Environment Ministry.
Of the 38 projects, 14 belongs to Central PSUs like SAIL, ONGC and NTPC, five to state PSUs and 19 to private sectors.
Handing out a list of the projects cleared by the Prakash Javadekar-led Ministry in recent times, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said today that since environment clearance was the last step, these projects are now set to take off.
However, he declined to hazard any guess on the proposed investment that these projects would cumulatively make in the state but it could be "huge and provide a lot of employments."

The projects in Central sector includes four exploratory drilling projects of ONGC, three expansion proposals of SAIL, NTPC's 500 MW thermal power project expansion and a 2,340 MW project of DVC.
The Environment Ministry has also cleared state projects including development of some coal blocks and diversion of some tract of forest land for industrial use.

A number of private projects in the steel and mines sectors has also been cleared that include Soya Ispat's proposed steel plant at Bankura and Rashmi Metaliks' proposed steel-making unit at Paschim Mednipur.
Mitra said during his meeting with Javadekar, the latter informed that another five industrial projects have also been sanctioned, but are yet to be formalised.

State Chief Minister had also have a meeting the Union Environment Minister earlier in the week.