"Will push industrialisation in Bengal to stop brain drain": WB minister Tapas Roy
Hooghly, July 12
West Bengal Minister Tapas Roy on Saturday said the expert committee constituted by the state government to examine the Uniform Civil Code draft would decide the way forward for the proposed legislation, while asserting that the government is also focused on industrialisation to generate employment and check brain drain.
Speaking on the state's industrial development, Roy said the government has initiated efforts to accelerate industrialisation and create employment opportunities for skilled youth.
"My government, under the able leadership of the Chief Minister, has started the industrialisation process. The slogan of our beloved Prime Minister is 'Viksit Bharat, Viksit West Bengal, Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Without industry, you can't progress. In the last few decades, industrialisation has not been there. For that reason, brain drain took place," Roy said.
He added that the government's objective was to ensure talented youth remain in the state.
"This BJP government will start industrialisation to keep all our meritorious students here. Those who have technological knowledge will stay in West Bengal. They will have work here, and that is our motto," he said.
On the role of the committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Roy said, "That is the decision of the committee formed by the government and the retired judges... They will decide. They will direct."
His remarks come after the West Bengal government constituted a nine-member expert committee headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine and finalise the draft Uniform Civil Code. The state government plans to introduce the proposed legislation during the upcoming August Assembly session.
According to the state government, the proposed legislation will exempt indigenous communities. The committee comprises former judges, legal experts, bureaucrats and representatives from the social sector, who will examine various aspects of the proposed law before submitting their recommendations.
Earlier, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had announced that the draft UCC would be introduced in the Assembly during the August session after completion of the necessary procedural steps. He had said the committee would begin its work and submit its recommendations to the government.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Tapas Roy talking about industrialisation while the UCC committee is being formed simultaneously? Seems like they're trying to divert attention from the real issues. Bengal needs concrete action, not just statements. My cousin left for Hyderabad last year because of no job here 😔
'Viksit Bharat, Viksit West Bengal, Atmanirbhar Bharat' - sounds great on paper. But let's be honest, without proper land acquisition and clearances, industries won't come. Look at what happened with the JNPT project in Nayachar. We need transparency and fast-tracking of approvals. The UCC is a separate matter, let's hope both initiatives work out 🤞
Interesting to see the state government pushing both industrialisation and UCC simultaneously. As someone working in IT in Kolkata, I can tell you - the talent exists, but the opportunities don't. If they can create an ecosystem like in Bangalore or Hyderabad, it would be a game changer for Bengal's economy. Let's see if the political will matches the rhetoric.
The UCC committee being headed by a retired Supreme Court judge is a good move - shows they want a legal and balanced approach. But I'm skeptical about industrialisation in Bengal given the political climate. Our state has so much potential - Hooghly alone could become a manufacturing hub if proper infrastructure is built. Let's hope the minister's words turn into action soon.
"Without industry, you can't progress" - absolutely true. But Bengal has lost two decades of industrial growth due to political instability and red tape. The Maoist issues in Jangalmahal and the shutdown of many small-scale units tell a story. The government
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