Bengal's new industrial policy to prioritise investments in sectors with strong demand for ancillary units
Kolkata, Aug 10
As the West Bengal government is all set to finalise its new industrial policy by this month, insiders from the state secretariat of Nabanna said that the priority in the proposed new industrial policy will be on sectors having strong demand for small support businesses, which are popularly and technically referred to as ancillary industries.
Accordingly, state secretariat insiders said that some of these sectors with strong demand for ancillary industries, both in the manufacturing and services sectors, have already been identified for being treated as a priority in the proposed new industrial policy.
These sectors are textiles and garments, iron and steel, heavy electrical equipment, the automotive industry and information technology and electronics.
An important meeting to finalise the blueprint of the new policy for 'land for industry' has been convened at the state secretariat Nabanna on August 11, which will be chaired by the state Commerce and Industries Minister, Tapas Roy, where industrialists and representatives of industry associations have been invited to participate and give their suggestions in the matter.
"In the meeting, the state government will outline its plans for industrialisation and investment attraction with priority on sectors having strong demand for ancillary industries. Accordingly, suggestions will be sought from the industrialists and representatives from industry associations on how this plan could be implemented," said a senior state government official aware of the development.
He added that the main reason to prioritise sectors with strong demand for ancillary industries is to promote investments with potential for higher employment generation, both directly in the main industrial unit as well as in small support businesses.
"At the same time, promoting investment in sectors with strong demand for support businesses will also ensure a parallel promotion of the micro, small and medium enterprises as ancillary to the main business units," the state government officer said.
At the same time, he added, with focus on North Bengal, the proposed new industrial policy will also stress the Triple-T (tea, timber and tourism) sector.
"As claimed by the Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, last week, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had assured all sorts of central assistance to revive the tea and textiles sector in the state. So accordingly, the target of the state government now is formulating a comprehensive industrial policy enabling big-ticket investments and higher employment generation at the same time," the state government official added.
Industry observers feel that focusing on sectors with demand for ancillary industries is the right formula for enabling big-ticket investments and higher employment generation in one go.
"Such industries with high demand for ancillary industries promote both 'direct support' and 'indirect support' entrepreneurship. In fact, the sectors identified by the new statement as priority focus best suit the dual purpose of enabling big-ticket investments and higher employment generation in one go," said a city-based industrial observer.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, some thought given to the smaller players! Ancillary units are the backbone of any industrial ecosystem. Textiles and IT sectors have huge potential in Bengal. Just hope the bureaucracy doesn't kill the momentum with red tape. The August 11 meeting with industry representatives is a positive sign though.
The emphasis on North Bengal's tea, timber, and tourism is commendable. These sectors have always been underleveraged. However, the government needs to ensure that the benefits reach the small tea growers and local entrepreneurs, not just the big corporate houses. Inclusive growth is the key.
A sound strategy, but I wonder about the timeline. We've heard such promises before—in 2016 and again in 2019. West Bengal needs an industrial revival, but without proper infrastructure (power, roads, logistics), this policy might just remain a wishlist. Let's see how TMC and the Centre collaborate on this. 🤔
The mention of heavy electrical equipment and automotive industry is interesting. These sectors can create a multiplier effect on local suppliers. But the state needs to compete with Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu on ease of doing business. Kudos to the government for at least identifying the right sectors, though!
As someone working in the IT sector in Kolkata, I'm glad to see IT and electronics in the priority list. But we need more than just policy—we need skill development centres, better connectivity to tech parks, and startup incubation. Hope the government also addresses the brain drain of young talent leaving Bengal.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.