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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)
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