Asok questions Hill biz summit

SNS | Siliguri | March 15, 2018: Siliguri Mayor Asok Bhattacharya On Wednesday questioned the Hill Business Summit (HBS) and wondered how far it will be beneficial and successful. “Or is it just a political strategy to set vote targets in the upcoming rural elections?” the veteran CPI-M leader and former minister said.

Mr Bhattacharya, who is also the chairman of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Industrial Standing Committee (WBLAISC), said there is hardly any infrastructure in the Hills for investment.

“Without development of proper infrastructure, such investment proposals are useless. The HBS is tough to be turned into reality. Moreover, it could be vote bank politics for the upcoming rural polls,” he said.

Highlighting that no fresh industrialization has been sen after the Trinamul Congress (TMC) formed the government, Mr Bhttacharya claimed, “Whatever industrialization or investment projects took place in the state was done during the Left Front government.”

As the chairman of the WBLAISC, Mr Bhattacharya visited Darjeeling, South-24 parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah, and other places of West Bengal to study the situation wherein he said he found many problems.

“Apart from the Hills, Siliguri also has the potential for industrial activity, but there is no infrastructure. It is only possible if the state government provides proper power subsidy, proper marketing and projection of produced goods. Moreover, there should be a nodal agency for the economic and social development of north Bengal just like the north-east council,” he said.

Meanwhile, the mayor has appealed to all the councilors in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, irrespective of their party affiliation, to support the SMC budget when it will be tabled on 20 March.

“We had written to Congress councilors, and today we met the party president and discussed issues. The state government is not supporting the Left-run civic board. We will place the budget and get it adopted on the second day,” said Mr Bhattacharya.