12 London/Kolkata: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wooed UK investors, asking them to be a part of the "Rising Bengal" growth story, showcasing the state's higher-than-national-average GSDP, falling unemployment and poverty indexes.
She also asked British Airways to consider re-opening their direct link with Kolkata, promising them a first-movers' advantage.
Banerjee was speaking at an interactive session in London, organised by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC), Ficci and WBIDC.
She said Bengal's GSDP growth was 6.8% in the last fiscal, against the national average of 6.3%. The CM also highlighted the state's unemployment rate, saying it had declined by 46% between 2017-'18 and 2023-'24, and that there were just 8% residents below the poverty line, as against 57% in 2011 (she was sworn in as chief minister for the first term in May that year).
"We lost our glory because of the previous govt. But now it is time to grow and be part of this growth," Banerjee said.
The CM also requested a representative of British Airways — whom she referred to as "my UK airlines friend" — to start a direct flight to London from Kolkata.
The UK's national carrier had withdrawn their direct flights between London and Kolkata in 2009, a year after Air India withdrew theirs. "My humble suggestion to my UK airlines friend, please give us just one flight," she said. "If you do it, every seat (on the flight) will be full. Whoever does this first, we will give them a first-movers' advantage. It now takes 18 hours to come to London. It should not take more than eight."
The CM said many UK-based companies were already operating in Bengal.
The CM, during the session, said many UK-based companies were now operating in the state. "We have an age-old relationship. Life in Bengal is not stressful, and we believe in unity in diversity. Every caste and creed lives together here. We celebrate all festivals, and we belong to all communities," she said.
UKIBC chairperson Richard Heald said UK companies were involved in the fields of renewable energy and infrastructure in Bengal, adding "25% of UK businesses are looking at eastern states like Bengal due to (their) strategic location." Heald said Bengal was increasingly becoming a core "to-do business" for UK companies, which already employed 30,000 people in the state. "Thanks to digitisation and simplification of bureaucracy and reforms, Bengal is now a top destination for UK companies," he said.
Business leaders from Bengal who accompanied Banerjee to London spoke about their experience of doing business in the state. RPSG Group vice-chairperson Shashwat Goenka said they have had a presence in the state for 200 years, and that they had invested "over Rs 400 billion" there. Dhunseri Group chairperson C K Dhanuka said they were working on their third plant in the state, which would be ready by 2027. Tega Industries managing director Mehul Mohanka said their headquarters — for operations spanning four continents — was Kolkata. He added that they were also planning an additional Rs 300 crore investment at Kalyani. Luxmi Group managing director Rudra Chatterjee suggested UK businesses join hands with Bengal industry. Patton Group managing director Sanjay Budhia said it had eight plants in the state, and that it had never lost a single man-day under the present govt. Titagarh group vice-chairman Umesh Chowdhary also shared his experience of doing business in the state.
The session started with a short video presentation showcasing Bengal's cultural and other endeavours.