Siliguri, 28th July: A key meeting was held in Siliguri on Tuesday under the initiative of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss new industries, fresh investments and employment opportunities in North Bengal. Industrialists and business leaders from across the region participated in the meeting, where future development plans were discussed in detail.
The meeting was attended by West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta and Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh. The establishment of new industries in North Bengal was one of the key agenda items.
Addressing the gathering, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said that while North Bengal was once viewed only as the “Chicken’s Neck”, its importance has now grown significantly in terms of both national security and development. He added that the region now offers a peaceful and favourable environment for business and investment.
The Finance Minister also highlighted the ongoing crisis in the tea industry, expressing concern over the closure of several tea gardens and the financial hardships faced by workers. He said the state government would soon convene a meeting with all stakeholders in Kolkata, Siliguri or Darjeeling to prepare a roadmap for reviving the tea industry before the situation worsens.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh said the state government would promote Darjeeling and the Sundarbans as global tourism destinations to strengthen West Bengal’s presence on the international tourism map. He also said efforts would be intensified to further strengthen the global branding of Durga Puja.
He further announced that an integrated tourism app will be launched soon, bringing together government-registered hotels, establishments registered on the NIDHI portal, tour operators, taxi services, booking agencies and other tourism-related services on a single platform.