West Bengal Finance Minister, Amit Mitra, on Saturday, claimed that it was the Mamata Banerjee-government here that had started embracing a digital economy, “much before the centre”.

According to the State Finance Minister, the Bengal government had started embarking on a digital payments drive way ahead of the Centre.

“Earlier 22 lakh cheques (for payments) were issued, now that payment is completely digital,” Mitra said during the annual regional meet of the CII.

Interestingly, Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had been one of the most vehement critics of demonetisation and the government’s push towards a digital economy.

Mitra sought to back his claims – about West Bengal embracing a digital economy – with data.

According to him, seven lakh pensioners and nearly nine lakh government employees are being paid digitally. The State government is also working with 24 banks on digital payments and 63 departments are giving out electronic tenders, he further claimed.

Push for Industry

Incidentally, the Finance Minister will also made a push to present the State as a favourable destination for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) investments.

He pointed out that the priority of government is to create employment and hence it has put its focus on the MSME sector which has the ability to generate employment.

According to Mitra, around 7000 MSME applications cleared between August 2015 and December 2016; and offers worth Rs 31,000 crore were nearing completion.

The State government is also in the process of setting up 11 industrial parks covering 550 acres of land; while six of them are already under construction.

Mitra further pointed out that West Bengal had the second largest coal deposits in the country at the Deocha-Pachami block.

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