The Hindu Business Line : `Bengal has scope to go on top in agro-products'

WEST Bengal has a good opportunity to become a major global player in agro-products, provided it initiates the process of developing agro-based industries by taking advantage of its six distinct geo-climatic zones, according to Dr Partha Ghosh, Chairperson of Boston Pledge of the US.

Dr Ghosh, former senior partner of McKinsey & Co, said here on Monday that West Bengal should not follow economic models of other States.

On the contrary, the State should evolve its own industrial model. In addition to agro-products, he said that decision makers should commercially utilise the city's river, another of nature's gifts.

Talking on the subject: "How to Market West Bengal Globally", organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dr Ghosh said that competition among the States in the country was not good in the long-term interest of the country.

Industries should grow in each State on the basis of local strength so that each industry could get a competitive edge in the global market.

The Boston-based management consultant said that all countries were looking for a new economic model in order to attain sustainable economic growth.

In such a scenario, India with about 20 per cent of the global population and having only 0.7 per cent share of the total global trade, had enough scope to offer a new developmental model combining the three Cs - company, consumer and competition.

While he was optimistic about India's future as a leader in the international market, Dr Ghosh said that Indian entrepreneurs, managers and trade union leaders should try to understand the global socio-economic scenario, which is passing through a very "critical but transitional" phase.

Dr Ghosh said that he was not against "constructive trade unionism". In fact, he felt that trade unions could play a positive role, which is evident in Japan and many other developed countries. It would be unwise to put the blame on employees or trade unions at the cost of protecting inefficient/ un-professional management practices by owners and managers.

He suggested companies to understand workers' problems and, subsequently, if need be, they should be educated to make them understand what their role should be in the changing world economic scenario.

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