We depend on big biz, but small is always beautiful: Mamata

In an apparent dig at Left parties, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said some political elements call for strikes at the drop of a hat and her party Trinamool was not like that.

Interacting with the business community here, the Chief Minister also said that the big industry was important, but she believed that "small is always beautiful" and assured that there would not be any harassment by the police if shops and other establishments were kept open for longer hours.

Labour laws have already been tweaked to allow shops and other establishments to keep their shutters open for a longer time, she added.

Banerjee said that her government was against bandhs and strikes.

"There are some political elements who for no reason call bandhs, strikes at the drop of a hat. We are not like them," she said.

"... We depend on big industry, but small is always beautiful", Banerjee said, while adding that the small industry is a matter of pride for the nation.

"From the beginning, we are giving special attention to the small and medium sector. We have held seminars and discussions in various parts of the state with the small industry entrepreneurs," said Banerjee, who will visit London in July on a business mission.

Banerjee's comments assume significance in the wake of the ongoing political debate over the land acquisition laws and the large industries' demand that state government should help them in acquiring huge tracts for their industries.

Banerjee also asked West Bengal's Finance Minister Amit Mitra to set up core committees in the districts which would discuss the issues faced by the entrepreneurs relating to various clearances required in setting up units.

Announcing a series of initiatives relating to ease of doing business, she said that the process of getting trade license, environmental clearance, fire clearance, building plan clearance, power connection, land mutation and conversion and various other matters had been simplified and to be delivered in a time-bound manner.

Banerjee also made all the respective departmental secretaries assure business leaders present there to commit to the cause which the government was ushering in.

She hoped that with all these initiatives of the state, more and more investments would flow in.