West Bengal
 |
Area |
88,752 sq km |
 |
State
Government Portal |
 |
Population |
80,176,197 |
|
Open Forum Partners
|
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Capital |
Kolkata |
|
Important Contact Numbers |
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Principal
Languages |
Bengali |
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Development Initiatives |
History
and Geography
The State of Bengal finds a coveted place, even
in pre-historic times. At the time of Alexander's
invasion, a powerful kingdom called Gangaridai
ruled over Bengal. Ascendancy of the Guptas
and the Mauryas had somewhat little effect on
Bengal. Later, Sasanka became King of Bengal,
and is said to have played an important role
in north-eastern India in the early half of
the seventh century. He was succeeded by Gopala,
who founded the Pala dynasty, which ruled for
centuries and had created a huge empire. The
Palas were followed by the Sena dynasty, which
was ended by Muslim rulers from Delhi. Bengal
was ruled by various Muslim rulers and governors
till the Mughal period in sixteenth century.
After the Mughals, history of modern Bengal
began with the advent of European and English
trading companies. Battle of Plassey in 1757
changed the course of history, when the English
first gained a strong foothold in Bengal and
India. In 1905, it was partitioned to achieve
some political returns but people’s growing
movement under the of Congress led to the reunion
in 1911. This triggered off hectic movement
for freedom, which culminated with Independence
in 1947, and the partition thereafter.
After 1947, the merger of native settlement
began, which ended with its final reorganisation
in 1956 (as per Recommendations of the States
Reorganisation Act, 1956), when some Bengali
speaking areas of a neighbouring state were
transferred to West Bengal.
The land frontier of the State touches Bangladesh
in the east, and is separated from Nepal in
the west. Bhutan lies in the north-east, while
Sikkim is on the north. On the west are the
states of Bihar, Jharkhand, while in the south
lies Orissa, and the Bay of Bengal, washing
its southern frontiers.
Agriculture
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the State’s
economy and nearly three out of every four persons
are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture.
The total food production in the State in 2004-05,
was 16107.2 thousand tonnes. During 2004-05,
the production of rice was 14884.9 thousand
tonnes, of wheat 841.5 thousand tonnes and of
pulses 167.3 thousand tonnes respectively. The
production of oilseeds during the same period
was 556.8 thousand tonnes and of potato 7106.6
thousand tonnes. The production of jute was
7853.2 thousand bales in 2004-05.
Industry
In 2005 the number of approved industrial proposals
in the State was provisionally estimated to
be 386 with a total investment of Rs 17968.41
crore. In this period from 1991 to 2004, approved
industrial investment proposals received by
the State were 4029 involving a total investment
of Rs. 75720.59 crore.
In the period from 1991 to 2004, 991 projects
with a total investment of Rs. 26680.14 crore
were implemented. In 2005, according to the
available information, 161 projects with a total
investment of Rs. 1914.72 crore were implemented
in the State. On 31 December 2005, 65 major
projects (projects with investment over Rs.
25 crore) with a total investment of Rs. 8987
crore under implementation in West Bengal.
The largest number of major projects under
construction is located in Burdwan followed
by Purba Medinipur. In the industrially backward
district of Bankura, 7 major industrial projects
are coming up. Six of these are in the iron
and steel industry and the other is a cement
unit. In Purulia, another industrially backward
district, 5 major projects are under construction.
The four projects are in the iron and steel
industry and the other is a cement unit.
While industrial investment has been increasing
specially from the beginning of this decade,
the employment potential of most units is much
lower than the old labour intensive units in
existence in the State. In these circumstances
the need is to increase manifold industrial
investment in the State. The State Government
has been able to overcome the earlier misgivings
of investors in investing in a State under a
pro-labour government.
In conjunction with practical measures to sustain
investors' confidence, the State government
has set in place a number of policy initiatives.
The State government has promulgated in quick
succession a Bio-technology Policy, Mines and
Mineral Policy, Information Technology Policy
and Policy for IT enabled services.
The State Government has also been the first
State Government in India to formulate an act
on Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The first sector-specific
SEZ in India, Manikanchan Gem and Jewelry Park,
has already become
The signing of South Asian Free Trade Area
(SAFTA) agreement on 18 January 2006 would provide
opportunities as well as challenges to West
Bengal, one of the border states in India. The
objective of SAFTA is to reduce existing tariffs
to less than five per cent within a time frame
so as to increase trade among SAARC countries.
operational in the State.
The State is perhaps one of the few states
in India with surplus power. The State Government
has taken up a programme to maintain this surplus
situation in the coming years. In addition to
increasing significantly the installed power
generation capacity, the State government is
also implementing a number of schemes for improving
and extending the transmission and distribution
network.
The State Government has also been improving
the physical and social infrastructure in the
state especially in urban areas. It has also
been trying to improve the road connectivity
in the State by constructing new roads or improving
and strengthening the existing road network.
The 1600 crore Kolkata megacity Programme is
being implemented by the Kolkata Metropolitan
Development Authority (KMDA). Under the programme
a total of 130 schemes weight a total cost of
Rs. 1267.33 crore in various sectors like water
supply, traffic and transportation, sewerage
and drainage, solid waste management, housing
and area development, commercial complex, busted
improvement, environment improvement were taken
up. The Kolkata Improvement Trust (KIT) also
implements schemes under Kolkata Megacity Programme
(KMP). The Howrah Improvement Trust (HIT) is
also implementing schemes under KMP. Under KMP
1,768 km of eastern drainage channel at Salt
Lake has been re-excavated. The most important
infrastructural project being implemented in
the State is the Rajarhat New Town Project covering
an area of 3075 hectares in the north eastern
fringe of Kolkata. Land acquisition and development
have been completed in Action Area-I covering
660 hectares. In action Area II covering an
area of 1050 hectares, land filling is in progress.
The Development Authorities formed to develop
different urban areas in the State are also
implementing large number of schemes. The West
Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development
Corporation (WBIIDC) is the nodal state level
agency for developing infrastructure specifically
for the industrial sector, WBIIDC has so far
developed 12 growth centres (industrial estates)
located at Kalyani (Phase-I, II & III),
Falta, Uluberia, Bishnupur, Raninagar, Cooch
Behar, Malda, Dabgram, Haldia and Kharagpur.
The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation
(WBIDC), the prime agency in the state for promoting
industries has in recent years been increasingly
involved in developing infrastructure for the
industry sector. With investment flow no longer
a problem, WBIDC's promotional activities could
best be supplemented by providing state of the
art industry specific 'parks' to investors.
The IT Department of the State Government is
the prime agency for promoting IT industry in
the state. Within a short time the IT industry
has achieved significant growth. At present
total export earning of IT companies located
in Software Technology Park (STP) is Rs. 2000
crore. Presently 180 IT and 55 ITes companies
are operating in Kolkata providing employment
to 35000 professionals. The Food Processing
Industries and Horticulture Department of the
State Government Promotes food processing industries
in the State. The department has been trying
to motivate small entrepreneurs to invest in
the food processing industry. To reiterate it
sets up food parks, perishable goods cargo complexes,
quality control laboratories, etc.
Irrigation and Power
Irrigation potential created in the State through
major and medium irrigation projects in 2004-05
was provisionally estimated at 1554.71 thousand
hectares. At present only two major irrigation
projects. Teesta Barriage Projects (TBP) and
Sabarnarekha Barrage Project (SBP) are being
implemented in the State. In both these projects
the State is facing a number of constraints.
As a result of these constraints only 22,245
thousand hectares of irrigation potential could
be created in the first three years of the 10th
plan in 2002-03 to 2004-05. It is anticipated
that 10,000 hectares in 2005-06 and in 2006-07
15,000 hectares of irrigation potential will
be created. So that total irrigation potential
created during the 10th Plan would be nearly
37 thousand hectares. Currently nine
medium irrigation schemes in the district of
Puralia are continuing. A total of 12.41 thousand
hectares of irrigation potential have been created
through medium irrigation schemes in the first
three years of the 10th plan.
Power in West Bengal is currently generated
by the West Bengal Power Development Corporation
Limited, West Bengal State Electricity Board,
Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation, Durgapur
Project Limited, Disergarh Power Supply Corporation
etc. Total generation of power produced by the
State agencies was 17115 MU in 2005-06 (up to
April to November 2005). The total number of
moujas electrified during 2005-06 (up to November
2005) is 32552 and the total number of pump
sets energised is 1,13,759.
Transport
Roads: The length of roads under state highways
is 3,354 km, under PWD 12,288 km, and that of
the district roads is 41,278 km respectively.
Railways: Howrah, Asansol, Sealdah, Bandel,
Bardhaman, Kharagpur and New Jalpaiguri are
the main junctions in West Bengal.
Festivals
Durga Puja is the most important festival along
with Kali Puja or Diwali besides Vasant Panchami,
Lakshmi Puja, Holi, Sivaratri, Janmasthami,
Id-ul-Fitr, etc.
Tourist Centres
Important tourist centres are, among others
Kolkata, Digha (Midnapore), Bakkhali Sea Resort,
Sagar Island and Sundarbans (South 24-Parganas),
Bandel, Tarakeswar, Kamarpukur (Hooghly), Gadiara
(Howrah), Shantiniketan and Bakreshwar (Birbhum),
Durgapur (Burdwan), Mukutmanipur and Vishnupur
(Bankura), Ayodhya Hills (Purulia), Murshidabad,
Gour and Pandua (Malda), Darjeeling, Mirik,
Kalimpong, Sandakfu and Falut and Kurseong (Darjeeling),
Jaldapara and Dooars (Jalpaiguri).
