Dubai [United Arab Emirates], September 22 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday highlighted the opportunities of her state at a business summit in Dubai saying that Bengal has everything “from A to Z” and asking the investors if they are interested in “building up” her state. “You are showing us the way, how you are building up industrial infrastructure, road infrastructure. Everybody needs to see that. You can build up Dubai. Can’t you build up my India, my West Bengal?… We have everything. From A to Z.” the Chief Minister said on Friday. “Come to Bengal and have a joint venture with us. See how we are working,” Mamata Banerjee said inviting the business leaders of Dubai to come to her state.

Explaining that there is no problem of power supply in the state, the Chief Minister said, “There is no problem of power. We are already working on the second-largest coal industry. We will supply 100 years of power to others.” Highlighting the scope of the state’s tourism sector, Mamata Banerjee said, “UNESCO declared West Bengal is the Tourism Destination in the world…in tea gardens, we have allowed 15 per cent (of FDI) for tourism. We have Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik- the hill areas of Kanchenjunga. We have the Royal Bengal Tigers, the deep forests, the deep sea. We have scope for two-three deep sea ports also.”

Speaking on the talent pool of her state, the Chief Minister said, “Our talent is a benchmark of the world. From NASA to bhasha (language) or education or industry or healthcare…Even in India’s moon landing, I am proud to say 40 scientists are from Bengal. Our boys and girls are working from Harvard to Cambridge to Dubai, everywhere. Most of our migrant workers are working in Dubai.”

On the state’s efforts to skill up its workforce, she said, “Our skill is readily available. We have set up 300 ITIs to give skill training. We have produced so many doctors, nursing training colleges…We have already built 200 industrial parks.” Pointing out the ease of connectivity from Bengal, Mamata Banerjee said, “It is the gateway to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is connected by port, by civil airlines, by train and even by road. It is just adjacent to Bengal. It takes only 5 minutes. By flight, it takes only half an hour. For Nepal and Bhutan, it takes only half an hour. For the north-east, it takes only half an hour. Even the distance from Bengal to Dubai is not so far. From Mumbai it is 2 and a half hours, from Bengal it is only four hours.”

On the ease of getting land in the state, she said, “Land is available. Land use policy, land map is available. Instead of giving lease, we have decided to give you freehold rights if you want to invest your money.” The Chief Minister added that there would be no problem with power in the state, saying “We are already working on the second largest coal industry. We will supply 100 years of power to others”.

Speaking on the social security schemes run by her state government, Mamata Banerjee said, “For girlchild’s empowerment, West Bengal received United Nation’s first prize for public service award. We have many social security programs and many healthcare facilities…”  Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee and UAE State Minister for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi held discussions to boost trade relations and exports from West Bengal to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The West Bengal Chief Minister is on a visit to Dubai as she concluded her Spain visit. (ANI)

Mamata Banerjee discusses ways to boost trade relations, exports with UAE Foreign Trade Minister

Dubai [UAE], September 22 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and UAE State Minister for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi on Friday held discussions to boost trade relations and exports from West Bengal to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  West Bengal CM Banerjee is on a visit to Dubai as she concluded her Spain visit.  According to an official statement, Banerjee met with the UAE State Minister for Foreign Trade on Friday. 

“The dignitaries discussed measures to increase Trade Relations and exports from West Bengal to the UAE,” the statement said.  During her meeting, Banerjee highlighted that nearly 12 per cent of West Bengal‘s total goods exports go to the UAE.   She further informed the UAE minister, “Bengal is the top and one of the fastest-growing economies in India and that Bengal’s GDP will reach USD 212 billion in 2023-24.”

Moreover, Banerjee extended her invitation to a delegation led by the Minister to the Bengal Global Business Summit. 

The summit is scheduled to be held from November 21 to November 22.   “Incidentally, the UAE was the partner country in the last BGBS Summit,” the statement said. 

Last week, Banerjee met Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe at Dubai International Airport and she invited him to the Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 to be held in Kolkata. In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Banerjee stated, “His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe saw me at the Dubai International Airport Lounge and called me to join for some discussion. I have been humbled by his greetings and invited him to the Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 in Kolkata. HE the President of Sri Lanka extended a cordial invitation to me to visit Sri Lanka. It was a pleasant interaction with deep implications.”

Earlier on her Spain visit, Banerjee expressed her delight in attending the Bengal Global Business Summit in Madrid, Spain. Noting that the summit served as a “gateway to Bengal”, she said it is a land of immense potential and possibilities. (ANI)