Bengal recovers unused land to boost supply for industry

Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) In a move to address the shortage of industrial land, the West Bengal government on Monday announced the recovery of around 500 acres from previously closed industrial units.

Speaking at the unveiling of INDPLAS'25, an international plastics exhibition, state Industry Minister Shashi Panja said those recovered land parcels are now directly available for allocation through the department's land bank.

"Efforts are underway to identify similar unused land parcels along state and national highways," Panja added, emphasizing that reclaiming such plots is an ongoing process.

This initiative follows Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's earlier announcement regarding the government's intention to reclaim unused land designated for industrial purposes.

Meanwhile, Lalit Agrawal, president of the Indian Plastics Federation, highlighted the robust growth of the state's plastic industry, currently experiencing a rate of 12-15 per cent compared to the national average of 6-7 per cent.

Ashok Jajodia, Chairman of the INDPLAS'25 exhibition, emphasized the need for a deep-sea port to facilitate the import of raw materials and export of finished products.

He specifically called for the expedited development of the Tajpur deep-sea port project.

However, Panja refrained from commenting on the Tajpur project, stating that it is being monitored by the chief minister and any updates will come from her directly. PTI BSM NN