The Hindu Business Line : Mitsubishi Chem to set up 2nd unit at Haldia

While addressing members of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) here on Tuesday, at BCCI's 151st AGM, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, said the Japanese major has planned to invest close to Rs 1,665 crore on a second chemicals unit with a capacity of 8 lakh tonnes. The first unit, with a capacity of 4.7 lakh tonnes and now making profits, had entailed an investment of Rs 1,475 crore.

He said a large team from Mitsubishi Chemicals was expected to visit the city in mid-January and formally announce the setting up of the second unit at Haldia.

The Chief Minister also announced a major scheme for beautification of Kolkata pari passu with a full fledged new Traffic Management System, both being taken up by the Government in close collaboration with the Kolkata Police Department, now celebrating 150 years of its existence.

He said the beautification plan will also include the Calcutta Maidan, except the Brigade Parade Ground, which is used by both the Defence services for its annual parades and the political parties for its rallies.

Vowing to maintain the tempo with regard to development of IT and ITeS, as services contributed to 50 per cent of Bengal's net SDP, Mr Bhattacharjee said Wipro, which had asked for additional land for its new Centre, has already been allotted the required land.

In broad agreement with BCCI's new project to develop Bengal as a knowledge hub through setting up of an overseas wing, he said a team of eminent scientists was already working on the project to create another National Institute of Science in the State, for which some 200 acres at Kalyani have already been allotted.

Lamenting that the proposed Tea Tourism project could not take off because of lack of funds and the reservations expressed by the planters, he urged the chamber to do their bit for making the project a success, as it would boost tourism prospects in the entire north Bengal belt, including the Dooars where all the tea gardens are located.

He said "we want FDI badly in industry and infrastructure".

Making the stand of the Left Front clear with regard to FDI in retail, particularly for fresh packed vegetables and fruits, he said talks with Wal-Mart which wanted to source directly from the farmers for retail at city marts was held in a congenial manner.

"We have sought time to decide on the matter, following the advice given by the agricultural scientist Dr M.S. Swaminathan, as such direct sourcing will jeopardise the jobs of thousands who work in hundreds of vegetable markets in the city."

Lambasting the continued export of iron ore from the country, Mr Bhattacharjee called for a clear-cut national policy on the matter, considering that our ore reserves will not last forever, and that this directly affected the future of India's steel industry.