Better treatment will bring more investors: Bengal CM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent out a strong message of extending all possible cooperation to potential investors in the state.

Speaking at the inauguration of JSW Cement's Salboni unit in West Midnapore district of Bengal, she said that only if they get a better treatment here, would they be inclined to invest more in Bengal.

Complementing the district administration for their cooperation in finishing off work ahead of time, she said, "You have extended your cooperation and I hope you will continue to do so in the future as well. Again, I want to say it clearly that everyone should behave well with investors. It is the cordial behaviour, which will lead them to invest further."

Inauguration of the cement plant a day ahead of the fourth edition of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) has proved to be a shot in the arm of the state government. Mamata said that it will send a positive message among all the participants of the two-day summit beginning on January 16. She claimed that the business and investment scenario in West Bengal had undergone a sea change over the last six years. "Earlier, no one was ready to put in their money in Bengal but now the concept has totally changed because at present Bengal means business, which is also the theme of this year's BGBS – Bengal means business," she said, inviting chairman and managing director of JSW Group, Sajjan Jindal and his team over to BGBS.

Incidentally, the foundation stone of a proposed integrated steel plant was laid on November 2, 2008, by then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and while he was returning, there was a blast in his convoy. Later it led to Maoist activities in the area for the next three years after which the steel plant project was scrapped.

She also took a jibe at the CPI(M) saying, "We are your friends. If you act according to the CPI(M) you will be left nowhere."

Speaking at the occasion, Jindal said that other than expansion of the cement plant capacity the group also had plans to put up a paint factory in Salboni. "Our first project in West Bengal took about 10 years. We will invest more," he said.