Shashi Panja, Minister for Industries, Commerce & Enterprises, headlines SRMB Presents Times Network Growth Summit West Bengal

Times Network, India’s premium broadcast network, hosted SRBM Presents Growth Summit West Bengal bringing together influential leaders across government, business, and academia to explore Bengal’s transformation as a resilient, future-ready growth engine for India. The summit featured engaging sessions that covered key pillars of Bengal’s growth journey—ranging from future-ready education, AI and robotics, and MSME empowerment to industrial transformation, skilling, and sustainable infrastructure.

Eminent industry stalwarts including Prof. Ved Prakash, Former Chairman, University Grants Commission; Ashish Beriwala, Director of SRMB Srijan; Prof. Biswajoy Chatterjee, Vice Chancellor, UEM Jaipur; Vinod Gupta, Managing Director, Dollar Industries amongst others offered actionable insights on bridging academia and industry, building intelligent ecosystems, driving inclusive entrepreneurship, and strengthening Bengal’s role as a national economic catalyst.

Dr. Shashi Panja, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Commerce & Enterprises, and Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal said, "West Bengal has emerged as one of the fastest-growing states in India, attracting over ₹1.33 lakh crore in private investments, creating 1.8 lakh jobs. The iron and steel sector leads with ₹45,240 crore investment and 62,500 jobs, followed by oil, gas, and energy at ₹27,159 crore and 16,000 jobs, and logistics at ₹19,000 crore with 25,000 jobs. With 800 private industrial units, the top 10 investors alone have contributed ₹44,000 crore and 32,500 jobs."

She further added, "The state houses India’s largest leather complex, hosiery park, foundry park, and railway manufacturing units. It is also the cement hub of India with all nine major companies investing. Bengal Silicon Valley, spread over 200 acres, has attracted 11 data centers and leading IT firms like TCS, Wipro, Infosys, and Cognizant. The 2023 Industrial Corridor Policy spans six strategic corridors backed by a ₹3,485 crore ADB loan, while the Logistics Policy (₹2,072 crore) enhances trade efficiency. The Tea Tourism Policy has led to 32 proposals across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Jalpaiguri. The Sand Mining Policy has earned ₹500 crore already, with ₹2,280 crore projected over five years. The shift to freehold land for industries and 21 proposals approved marks a major land reform. With 90 lakh MSMEs, Bengal leads with 36.4% female-headed establishments and 12.73% female workforce participation. MSME credit stands at ₹8.6 lakh crore, supported by 30X cluster growth and 35 GI-tagged Bengal products, signaling inclusive and sustainable industrial growth."

The Summit, co-powered by Dollar Industries, University of Engineering & Management (UEM), and Sister Nivedita University, with OmDayal Group of Institutions and Julien Day School as Associate Partners ended with cross-sectoral insights, and a shared commitment to Bengal’s rise as a center for growth, innovation, and opportunity.


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