West Bengal Government to Introduce New Policies Ahead of Durga Puja to Support Economic Growth

PTI, June 25, 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal government will unveil a series of policies, including an investment promotion framework, before the Durga Puja festivities, as part of efforts to accelerate economic growth, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said on Thursday.

Dasgupta made the remarks while replying to the discussion on the state budget in the Assembly.

"In the next three months, before Durga Puja, we will present an investment promotion framework, an incentive policy and a startup policy," he said.

The minister said a dedicated policy for women entrepreneurs would also be introduced to encourage greater participation in business and enterprise.

A cloud kitchen policy will be introduced, too, to encourage women entrepreneurs, Dasgupta said.

The other policies will be on a Global Capability Centre (GCC), an AI mission, and, in addition, the government plans to formulate a policy for sportspersons, he said.

Dasgupta said the absence of some of these policy frameworks had affected the state's ability to attract investments, including in the information technology sector.

The minister said the budget should be viewed as a roadmap signalling the direction in which the government intends to take the state economy.

The government aims to restore West Bengal's economic relevance by creating a conducive environment for investments, generating employment opportunities and attracting both domestic and external capital, Dasgupta said.

The West Bengal government had announced Rs 5,000 crore in the 2026–27 budget for the investment promotion and incentive framework.

He said the administration's objective is to position West Bengal among the fastest-growing state economies in the country and contribute significantly to India's broader economic growth ambition.