Kolkata: West Bengal’s first BJP government is expected to unveil a new industrial policy with a plan for seamless land acquisition, a single-window clearance mechanism and incentives for investors in its maiden state budget on June 22.
Addressing a programme at Nandigram in Paschim Medinipur district on Monday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the proposed policy would form a key part of the government’s efforts to spur industrialisation and create employment opportunities across the state.
The budget would contain several “pro-people” decisions aimed at boosting employment, accelerating industrialisation and strengthening social welfare delivery, he said.
“Our industry policy is coming. We will introduce a new land acquisition plan, a single-window system and incentives for industries,” Adhikari said at the inauguration of Jan Kalyan Shivir.
He said the government’s objective was to generate jobs through industrial growth.
The chief minister said several important welfare-oriented decisions would also be announced in the budget.
Adhikari said the state would facilitate access to credit for entrepreneurs through various central schemes, including the PM Mudra Yojana, PM Vishwakarma and the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
He said eligible beneficiaries would be assisted in obtaining subsidy-linked loans at low interest rates, including collateral-free and guarantee-free credit facilities to support small businesses and self-employment.
The chief minister also announced a target of creating 10 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ through self-help groups during the current financial year.
Alongside the industrial push, Adhikari said the government was reviewing welfare schemes and beneficiary databases to eliminate irregularities.
He claimed that verification exercises had detected large numbers of ineligible beneficiaries in schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, minority scholarships and widow pensions.
On healthcare, Adhikari said 1.43 crore families, covering around 6.5 crore people, would be brought under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from July, enabling beneficiaries to avail themselves of health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh.
Emphasising the government’s focus on law and order, the chief minister warned of strict action against those involved in syndicates, extortion, “cut money” practices and other unlawful activities.
“The era of the ruler’s law is over. The rule of law will prevail,” he said, asserting that action would be taken under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against those found involved in criminal and corrupt activities.
