World Bank submits plan on logistics for Kolkata: Mitra

Kolkata: West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Saturday said the World Bank has prepared and submitted a conceptual master plan for development of logistics infrastructure within the city metropolitan area.

He said that the proposed master plan would entail a project cost of around USD 300 million to be funded by the World Bank.

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Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of CII Logistics Colloquium here, Mitra said, "World Bank has submitted a master plan to the state on logistics infrastructure in and around Kolkata metropolitan area."

A meeting will take place soon, he said, adding that the World Bank has also "expressed its interest for a review of industrial parks, logistics hubs and SEZs encompassing West Bengal with the aim of improving logistics competitiveness, employment generation and ease of doing business".

The infrastructure spending has been increased five times after the Mamata Banerjee-led government came to power in the state in 2011.

"From Rs 1,758 crore in 2011, the (state) government's spending on infrastructure has been increased to Rs 9,553 crore in 2018", he said.

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Mitra said the increased spending on infrastructure had helped the state to register "a SGDP growth of 12.58 per cent in 2018-19 against the national growth of around 5.5 per cent".

The minister said the private sector is expected to generate employment for around 1.26 lakh people by investing in logistics infrastructure in the state.

Mitra also said that the government had already given 2,600 acres of land at Raghunathpur in Purulia for the Amritsar-Kolkata industrial corridor which would generate huge employment opportunities.

(PTI)