• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

Bengal cautions investors on `jobs for locals' politics

Our Bureau

KOLKATA, July 11

THE West Bengal Industry Minister, Mr Nirupam Sen, has urged investors not to succumb to political pressures on the issue of providing employment to the ``sons of the soil''. ``Employment is the prerogative of the employer'', he said while addressing a s eminar on ``Problems and Prospects of Industrialisation in West Bengal'', organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI) earlier this week.

However, he advised entrepreneurs to absorb at least some of the non-skilled local people, stating that it was a ``stark reality'' that had to be taken into account.

Urging industrialists to evolve some modality in this respect, he suggested that they involve local employment exchanges in the recruitment process. ``We will ask the district administration to co-operate with you,'' the Minister said, while answering a query in this regard.

He said the district-level industry monitoring cells had been recently told by the Chief Minister to get closely involved with the implementation of the industries in their respective areas. He said the district-level officials have also been told to ens ure speedy industrialisation.

On the issue of procedures, he said,``the whole matter of simplification of procedures and expediting of decisions is one with regard to which we have been making a detailed and serious exercise''.

Referring to some specific projects, Mr Sen said that the State Government was taking up with the Union Commerce Ministry, the issue of granting sector-specific special economic zone (SEZ) status to the proposed gems and jewellery park, the zero date fo r which had been fixed for July 1.

He said the project would be implemented in 18 months and steps had already been taken to form a subsidiary company under the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation. I-WIN, the joint venture of ICICI and WBIDC, will act as project consultants.

The project, which will come up on five acres in Salt Lake, will have common infrastructure and enabling facilities for the units.

Steps have also been taken for the Toy Park, for which WBIDC proposes to float another subsidiary. A 2.28-acre plot has been allotted to the WBIDC in Salt Lake for the project.