TCS, Reliance, Adani eye Bengal 'Silicon Valley,' state govt moving swiftly

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Adani Enterprises, and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) have acquired plots in what is going to become the Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub, The Financial Express (FE) reported. The tech hub is expected to be completed and made operational by the end of 2025.

The Mamata Banerjee-government in West Bengal is working hard to ensure all statutory approvals are granted seamlessly.

The government hopes that the 250-acre tech hub, located in New Town, Kolkata, will attract an investment of Rs 1 trillion and create 50,000 direct jobs. In addition to this, the project is expected to generate additional indirect employment opportunities.

West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) is monitoring the process of granting permissive possessions of plots to eligible companies, the report said.

The government of West Bengal has taken steps to fast-track the approval mechanism, which involves several departments. Usually, construction projects require a nod from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, and fire and emergency services, among others.

Elaborating on the details of the project, IT and electronics minister Babul Supriyo was quoted in the report as saying, "The IT department is working diligently towards making the approval procedure smart and fast so that the companies can commence operations seamlessly in the Silicon Valley. We can only say that we are functioning aggressively on the ground level in our pursuit to fulfil the dreams of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee."

CM Mamata Banarjee had laid the foundation stone of the project in August 2018. The project was halted due to the pandemic-induced lockdown.

More than 40 entities have been allotted land at the tech hub at subsidised rates. The allotment has been made on the basis of lease agreements.