Kolkata Mar 28 PTI The West Bengal government on Monday held a roadshow in Chennai to promote the sixth edition of a state business summitThe roadshow was organised in association with Assocham to highlight the states unique business opportunities strategic location advantage and availability of human resource capital with investor-friendly policiesThe next edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit will be held on April 20-21Around 200 delegates participated in the roadshow and 20 meetings with potential investors were held the official saidDuring the outreach programme a government delegation led by West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation chairman Rajiva Sinha highlighted the potential areas for investments in various sectors such as biotechnology food processing mobility IT E services logistics and ports with traditional industries of tea and juteThe government delegation also pointed out the states capacity of withstanding the macro-economic shocks due to COVID-19 as West Bengal was one of the two states to record positive growth in the pandemic era the official saidThe state witnessed a growth of 12 per cent despite the pandemic in 2020-21 Post-COVID Bengals economy is projected to achieve higher growth much more than the national average Sinha saidHe also elaborated on the facilitative policy environment for setting up manufacturing units and the growth of the service sector in the regionThe two-day summit in April will have plenary and sectoral sessions business-to-government and business-to-business interactions apart from providing digital space for exhibitions and business networkingThe focus sectors for this summit include infrastructure agriculture and allied activities MSMEs health and education tourism international trade IT ITeS and miningThe state has received business proposals worth Rs 1235578 crore in the earlier five editions of BGBS PTI BSM BDC BDC

Kolkata Mar 25 PTI Indias largest private port operator Adani Ports and SEZ APSEZ Ltd has emerged as the highest bidder for the West Bengal governments greenfield deep-sea port project at Tajpur in a neck-to-neck fight with JSW Group a source said on FridayAPSEZ and Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group were the only two entities that took part in the financial bid round though there were more port and logistics majors who had expressed initial interest in the estimated Rs 7000-crore project in Purba Medinipur districtAPSEZ is the highest bidder offering a share of 025 per cent of gross revenue It was marginally higher than the second bidder who offered 023 per cent a senior government official said without wanting to be namedThe revenue share will increase to 4 per cent but that will be at a much later date of the concession period which is 99 years he saidThe price bid for the tender floated by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation WBIDC was opened on Wednesday in the presence of the bidders -- APSEZ and JSW Infrastructure Ltd the official saidA note has been prepared after APSEZ emerged as the highest bidder and it will be placed before the state cabinet for final approval he saidAs per an analyst 025 per cent revenue share is very low and will lead to an adverse impact on the existing Kolkata PortWest Bengal government expects that the first phase of the project will be completed in three-four years and it will be operational the official saidRoad access to the site is the biggest challenge while railway connectivity is also crucial he saidFor a 15-16 metre draft an 18-km channel has to be built into the sea For Panamax size vessels 12 meters draft is necessaryAPSEZ will get 125 acres of seafront land for the development of the port and another 1000 acres situated 4 km away for port-linked industrial developmentAdani Group did not bid for the privatisation of Kolkata Ports Kiddherpore dock but is the highest bidder for modernisation of Berth 2 of Haldia dockIn less than two decades APSEZ has built acquired and developed a portfolio of ports infrastructure and services across India Its 13 ports and terminals represent 24 per cent of the countrys port capacityAdani Group chairman Gautam Adani met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in December last year to discuss investment possibilities in the state In February his son Karan also visited the state and met BanerjeeGroup company Adani Wilmar recently acquired a rice mill in Burdwan The group also has acquired gas distribution licences in certain parts of West Bengal in partnership with Indian Oil Corporation IOC PTI BSM SOM SOM