The Bengal Story

The Bengal
Story

PAGE 1
The Bengal Story
A Decade of Empowerment
and Growth
If one is looking for all-round growth along with
people’s empowerment, one need not look beyond
West Bengal. The Government of West Bengal’s
‘Development Model’ has been a story of inclusive
growth through balanced investments in economic
development and welfare measures.
There have been strategic, balanced and focused
government interventions in physical and indus-
trial infrastructure along with that in agriculture,
education, health, rural development and social
development in the last 10 years. The 10-year story
of Bengal has been a story of systemic changes
and governance reforms that are bringing in quicker
delivery and taking the government to the doorsteps
of people, empowering the marginalised, the under-
privileged, and women; touching the life of every
citizen of the State.
The progress of industry during this period has been
impressive. MSME, large industries, mega indus-
tries, textiles, IT, start-ups, tourism and hospitality,
handicraft, handloom, animal resources, fisheries,
self-help groups, logistics, retail, and a host of others
have reaped the benefit of a conducive eco-system,
social harmony, a ‘happy’ citizenry with a higher
purchasing power.
The Government in West Bengal is credited with
taking care of all the basic needs of its citizens at
no cost to them. Health, education, food, shelter
is available to every citizen free of cost. One does
not need to belong to any special category to avail
them. Electricity is free for poor people. The Gov-
ernment’s social security net has every citizen in the
marginalized social group above the age of sixty, the
PAGE 2
female head of each family, artisans, farmers, girls,
students, etc., covered under a monthly financial
assistance scheme. All this along with vast upgrada-
tion of social and physical infrastructure that include
building schools, colleges, hospitals, houses, roads,
bridges, power network, industrial parks, seaports
and airports, large water bodies, etc.
Under the visionary and dynamic leadership of the
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Government
has an enviable track record of growth. Combining
the needs of every sector for planned government
support and facilitation has led to the overall devel-
opment of Bengal.
Bengal has been able to capitalize on its strength
and address the systemic weaknesses. Instead of
people coming to government for getting their needs
addressed, Government has been going to grassroot
levels to address a plethora of issues. Duare Sarkar
(Government at your doorstep), Paray Samadhan
(Local infra gap locally addressed) – unique out-
reach programmes of the government running for
the last couple of years – have been preceded by
innumerable rounds of District-level Administrative
Review Meetings, held in the last decade and chaired
by the Hon’ble Chief Minister have created a highly
responsive governance model. A major outcome of
these meetings and programmes, attended by state,
district and sub-district level officials and people’s
representatives, includes a very strong bonding of
the administration with the local people and decen-
tralized decision-making by the government.
The following descriptions unfold the Story of
Bengal scripted in the last decade.
The Bengal Story

Innovative policies and

delivery mechanisms
enabled the State to fulfil
the aspirations of its
citizens.

PAGE 3
The Bengal Story
A Decade of Massive Jumps in Economy
Bengal’s GDP grew at an average of 12.6% between
2015-16 and 2020-21, faster than the national
average. It increased 3.5 times from Rs 4.61 lakh
crore (USD64 billion) in 2010-11 to Rs 15.37 lakh
crore (USD213 billion) projected in 2021-22. In 2020-
21, Bengal has been one of the two large states in
the country to register a positive growth of GSDP
of 1.06% while the national economy dipped by
negative (-) 7.25%. West Bengal ranked number 1 in
the growth of per capita net state domestic product
as per the RBI’s report of 2020-21.
The State’s budget allocation increased from
Rs 84,803 crore (USD12 billion) in 2010-11 to
Rs 3.21 lakh crore (USD45 billion) projected in 2022-
23; Tax collection from Rs 21,129 crore (USD3 billion)
in 2010-2011 to Rs 79,347 crore (USD11 billion)
projected in 2022-23; Capital outlay from Rs 2,226
crore (USD309 million) in 2010-11 to Rs 33,144 crore
(USD4.6 billion) projected in 2022-23.
PAGE 4
The State’s development allocation increased from
Rs 18,793 crore (USD2.6 billion) in 2010-11 to Rs
1,26,305 crore (USD17.5 billion) projected in 2022-
23 leading to physical infrastructure expenditure
increase from Rs 1,759 crore (USD244 million)
in 2010-2011 to Rs 10,422 crore (USD1.5 billion)
projected in 2022-23. Social sector expenditure
witnessed a massive increase from Rs 6,846
crore (USD951 million) in 2010-2011 to Rs 73,441
crore (USD10.2 billion) projected in 2022-23 and
agriculture and allied sector expenditure grew from
Rs 3,029 crore (USD421 million) in 2010-2011 to Rs
34,130 crore (USD4.7 billion) projected in 2022-23.
The revenue deficit as a percentage of GSDP is
projected to come down to 1.65% in 2022-23 from
3.75% in 2010-11, while the fiscal deficit to reduce to
3.64% in 2022-23 as compared to 4.24% in 2010-11.
Debt as a percentage of GSDP is projected to reduce
from 40.65% in 2010-11 to 34.23% in 2021-22.
The Bengal Story

Total Budget Tax Revenue up Capital Outlay up Gross State

allocation up 3.8 times 15 times Domestic Product
3.8 times (GSDP) up 3.5 times
2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

2010-11

2022-23
(projected)
2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

Agri & Allied sector Social sector Physical Infra sector State Development
expenditure up expenditure up expenditure up Allocation up
11.3 times 10.7 times 6 times 6.7 times
2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

2010-11

2022-23
(projected)
2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

2010-11

2022-23
(projected)

PAGE 5
The Bengal Story
A Decade of Infrastructure Upgradation
A major transformation of physical and industrial
upgradation along with HR development happened
in the state during the last decade.
O Third largest road network in India – over 100,000
km
2,161 km State highways widened and strength-
Q est in India; MSME clusters increased from 49 to
ened
O Leads in rail density with around 4,000 km of rail
tracks.
O 2 international airports at Kolkata and Siliguri
Q First greenfield domestic airport set up at Andal,
Durgapur. Being also developed as an air-cargo
hub.
O 2 major sea ports at Kolkata and Haldia.
Q A deep-sea port coming up at Tajpur, about 170
km from Kolkata.
O Natural maritime advantage with 950 km of inland
waterways. National Waterways 1 originates from
Bengal
O One of the largest power distribution networks in
India supplying power 24X7 to 2.1 crore (21 mil-
lion) consumers.
Q Power surplus State with 100% households elec-
trified; Can deliver over 10,000 MW power.
Q 18% power from non-conventional and renew-
able sources.
O Ready-to-invest industrial infrastructure: 200+ indus-
trial parks spread over 10,000 acres. Sector-specific
parks, viz., leather, footwear, textiles, apparel, hosiery,
foundry, gems and jewellery, chemicals, rubber, plas-
tic and polymers, pharma, electronics, etc.
O 22 IT Parks covering 39 acres and over 8.18 lakh
sq. ft (0.8 mn sqft) of built-up space with plug and
play facility.
O Second highest number of MSMEs (about 89 lakh
[8.9 million] units) in India; accounts for 14% of
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India’s MSMEs, of which 21.25% are manufactur-
ing enterprises, the highest among Indian States;
Highest number of women-led MSMEs (23%) in
India; INR 3.42 lakh crore (US$48 billion) bank
loans given in the MSME sector, one of the high-
521; Close to 136 lakh (13.6 million) work force in
MSMEs (over 12% of the country).
O 22 land customs stations in the State; Integrated
Check Post (ICP) Petrapole (near Kolkata), Asia’s
largest land port.
O Big boost to agro industries and support to rural
economy through Agri-business parks; Krishak
Bazars (farmers’ markets); Custom Hiring Centres;
financial incentives; schemes like Matir Shristi,
Jal Dharo Jal Bharo, utilising fallow land through
horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, etc; fifth
largest number of cold storages in the country.
O IT companies increased from 500 to 2,800
Q IT exports up from Rs 8,335 crore (USD1.2 bil-
lion) to Rs 26,826 crore (USD3.7 billion).
Q Employment in IT sector increased to about
212,000, up from 90,000.
O 25 medical colleges, 130 nursing colleges and 129
paramedical colleges provide trained HR for the
health sector.
O 90 engineering colleges, 175 polytechnic institu-
tions and 272 ITIs generating trained, ready-to-em-
ploy technical HR.
O Close to a million youth provided with skill devel-
opment/upgradation training under the Utkarsh
Bangla programme of the government which
interfaces with the industry to provide the required
skilled HR.
O Exported total merchandise worth USD8.97 billion
in FY2021.
The Bengal Story
O Silpa Sathi (physical and online) provides facilita-
tion services to entrepreneurs. The MSME Facilita-
tion Centre (MFC) has similar services in districts.
O Innovative public-private partnership for devel-
opment of industrial parks (Scheme of Approved
Industrial Park – SAIP).
O Mobile connectivity / tele density with penetration
in entire rural and urban areas.
O Eastern Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor starting
from Delhi and covers 200 km in the State, 22
km from Kolkata. The Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial
Corridor runs parallel to it.
O Three industrial growth corridors to link south
(Dankuni-Haldia), west (Dankuni-Raghunathpur)
and north (Dankuni-Kalyani) of the State with
Dankuni covering more than 500 km.
O Jangal Sundari Karmnagari industrial township
spread over 4,000 acres, coming up in Purulia.
O Many theme-based townships being developed,
e.g. near Kolkata, at Howrah and Santiniketan.
O Mining operations at Deocha-Pachami-Dewan-
ganj-Harinsigha coal block, the largest coal block
in India (2 billion ton capacity) to start soon.
O 200-acre IT and Electronics Park (Silicon Valley) at
Rajarhat – ready to move in.
O Cable Landing Station (CLS) coming up at Digha –
to provide global connectivity and boost business
activities in the State.
O Industrial parks and logistics/warehousing infra
being developed, 12-13 mn sq. ft of warehousing.
O Piped Natural Gas for industries from December
2022 – CBM and Shale gas.
O ONGC’s eighth oilfield at Ashoknagar starts
The State is Future Ready for new-
generation industries also.
extracting crude oil.
O Exotic fruits like dragon fruit, avocados, kiwi, pas-
sion fruit and carambola being grown abundantly
in the State now. It is the largest flower producer
in the country, including orchids.
O Registration fee and Road tax on all CNG vehicles
exempted for the next 2 years from FY 2022-23.
O The progress of all major schemes/projects are
monitored in the State. Inter-departmental issues
are resolved in real time through the integrated
and interactive ‘Samannay’ portal of the govern-
ment.
O RTPS Act of Bengal provides time-bound services
to citizens.
O Policy Support
Q MSME Incentive Policy
Q Ethanol Production Promotion Policy
Q Powerloom Promotion Policy; Spinning & Dyeing
Industries Policy coming up
Q Electric Vehicle Policy
Q Bicycle Production Promotion Policy
Q Non-renewable Energy Policy
Q Logistic Policy
Q IT & Electronics Policy
Q Data Centre Policy
Q Broadband Policy
Q Tourism Policy
Q Tea Tourism policy for using idle tea garden land
for various commercial activities.
Q Sand Mining Policy
Q PPP Policies for private sector’s participation in
Health and Education sectors
Q Shale Gas Policy
The State looks forward to strengthening its
partnerships with the private sector too.
PAGE 7
The Bengal Story

Rural housing up Rural road Power demand Widening &

3.5 times construction up 3 up 49% strengthening of State
times Highways up 4.2 times
2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22
MSME clusters IT companies IT exports up 3 Jobs in IT sector
up 10 times up 5 times times up 2 times

2010-11

2021-22
2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

Super-speciality Medical colleges Nursing schools & Paramedical colleges

hospitals up 42 up 2 times colleges up 3 times up 4 times
2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

PAGE 8
The Bengal Story
A Decade of Inclusive Growth
The State successfully balanced physical and infra-
structure growth with equally successful interven-
tions in the social sector.
O  Education for all students free up to Class XII.
Q School Education budget increased 10 times.
O  515 colleges, 42 universities. Technical universities
set up in health care, agriculture, fisheries and
animal resource development.
Higher Education budget increased 8 times.
Q
Spending on Education 15% of total expenditure –
O 
higher than the national average.
O  Spending on Health is 6.1% of total expenditure –
higher than the national average.
O  Superior Health Indicators compared to the
national average:
Q Health budget increased 5 times.
Q Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) – 98 (National
avg – 113).
Q Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) 22 (National avg –
35.2).
Q 98% Full Immunization of children compared to
65% nationally.
Q 98.5% Institutional delivery compared to 78%
nationally.
Critical Care Units (CCU) – from zero to 80 units
Q
Sick New Born Care Units (SNCU) from 6 to 70.
Q
Q Forward-looking PPP policies to set up medical
and nursing colleges in the state.
O  Spending on Agri & Allied incld Rural Development
11% of the total expenditure – higher than national
average.
Q Close to 100,000 km of rural roads constructed.
Q The top state in providing tap water connections
to households in 2021-22; 70% of rural popula-
tion get piped water supply.
Q 50 lakh (5 million) rural houses built compared
to 11 lakh (1.1 million) built between 2003-11.
Q 3.7 lakh (0.4 million) waterbodies created for
agriculture and pisciculture under Jal Dharo
Jal Bharo scheme; results in income for over 6
million people.
32,000 hectares of land brought under irrigation
Q
under Jaltirtha scheme
Women Self Help Groups (SHG) and their credit
Q
linkages highest in the country (Rs 15,000 crore
i.e. US$2.1 billion), results in large-scale rural
and social entrepreneurship.
Q Number one in the country in creating rural jobs;
enhances livelihood security of millions.
Q Average annual procurement of paddy around
40 lakh MT (4 million MT) at Minimum Support
Price from more than 12 lakh (1.2 million) small
and marginal farmers ensuring remunerative
prices for their produce.
Q A provident fund of Rs 250,000 (post age of
sixty); support for education of children; health-
care for unorganised workers in construction,
transport, landless agri labourers, etc, under
government’s Samajik Suraksha Yojna.
Q Downstream value chain operations link farm-
ers/FPOs/FPCs to consumers by procuring high
and graded quality of agricultural output directly.
Q Land rights for refugees and the landless: 3.86
lakh (386,000) agriculture pattas, homestead
pattas and free-hold title deeds provided. Refu-
gee colonies regularized.
Q Bangla Sahayata Kendras (BSK) all over the
State provide services at the grass-roots. 268
services included. More than 50 million people
benefitted.
PAGE 9
The Bengal Story

Foodgrain Kishan mandis Coverage under Average annual

storage capacity up18 times food security up income of farmers
up 16 times 4 times up 3 times
2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22
SHG Bank Credit Polytechnic colleges Colleges up Universities up
increased 18 times up 3 times 11% 3.5 times

2010-11

2021-22
2010-11

2021-22

2010-11

2021-22
2010-11

2021-22

PAGE 10
The Bengal Story
A Decade of Empowering Them All
1. Food security: Free food grain of 5kg per person
provided to majority of citizens. About 9.75
crore (97.5 million) citizens get this benefit.
(Khadyasathi).
2. Health care security: Free health care (diagnosis,
treatment, medicine) to all citizens in government
hospitals. A health insurance (Swasthya Sathi)
that includes treatment in private hospitals to
each family. About 230 million families covered.
3. Free education upto Class XII.
4. Home for Homeless: Houses provided to about 5
million homeless families in the last one decade.
5. Chaa Sundari: Houses constructed for homeless
tea worker families in tea estates.
6. Women: Income support provided to female head
of the family (Lakshmir Bhandar). More than 1.5
crore (15 million) women receive this every month.
7. Girls: Annual grant provided to every girl student
from class VIII onwards; also, a one-time grant
when they turn 18 and continue their education.
(Kanyashree – UN awarded). About 77 lakh (7.7
million) girl students covered.
O Girls from poor families are provided with
financial assistance at the time of their
marriage (Rupashree).
8. Senior Citizens: Lifelong monthly pension
(Jai Bangla) to all those from socially and
economically disadvantaged groups above the
age of 60.
Lifelong monthly pension for widows and
O
physically/mentally challenged persons.
9. Farmers: Provided with an annual financial
assistance and a life insurance coverage (Krishak
Bandhu). About 7.9 million farmers covered under
the scheme.
O Full crop insurance to its farmers.
10. Artisans: Retainer’s Fee, Performance Fee and
a lifelong senior citizen pension provided to folk
artists (Lok Prasar Prakalpa).
Rural Craft and Cultural Hub project with
O
UNESCO collaboration that covers more than
50,000 artisans for empowering rural and folk
artistes and traditional craftspersons.
11. Fishermen: Lifelong old-age pension every
month to every fisherman.
12. Students: Scholarship for students from
weaker sections of the society from Class I to
Post Graduate level (Aikyashree, Sikshashre,
Scholarship for SC, ST, OBC and minorities).
O A one-time grant to every student of Class
XII to purchase tabs/smartphones for online
learning (Taruner Swapna). 1.7 million students
covered so far.
O Free bicycles for students of classes VII to
XII (Sabooj Sathi). Over 10 million bicycles
distributed so far.
13. Sportspersons: Lifelong monthly pension
scheme for sportspersons
14. Low-cost credit support: Credit Cards for
a) Students
b) Farmers
c) Artisans
d) Weavers
e) Fishermen
Duare Sarkar (Government at doorsteps) –
A new paradigm in taking the government
to grassroots; approx 150,000 outreach
camps organized in the last one year visited
by about 50 million people for receiving
benefits of various government schemes.
PAGE 11
The Bengal Story
Advantage Bengal
Q  A stable government; a visionary, dynamic and
pro-development leadership.
Q  Peaceful, harmonious, inclusive and cosmopolitan
society. Cultural Capital of India.
Q  Among the top States on the scale of Ease of
Doing Business (EoDB). Recognised as the best
State for EoDB in the Skoch Governance Report
2021.
Q  Abundance of industrial excellence and skilled HR
– ideal to fill the gap in value chain of manufacturing.
Q  Zero tolerance to strikes: No industrial strikes/lock-
outs in the State in the last decade.
Q  Cost of doing business among the lowest – ease
of doing business among the best.
Q  Robust infrastructure – Excellent rail and road net-
work. 24X7 availability of quality power, gas, water
supply and telecom (all towns and villages of the
state have mobile connectivity).
Q  International borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and
Bhutan. Easy accessibility with booming hubs of
Asia, such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
Robust export ecosystem.
Q  Gateway to South-East Asia and North-East
India; other mineral-rich states like Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha in the neighbourhood.
Q  Hub of a thriving consumer base, covering neigh-
bouring states and countries (0.3 billion).
Protiti, 23, Abanindranath Thakur Sarani (Camac Street)
Ground Floor, Kolkata - 700017
Phone: +91 33 2255 3700 - 705
Telefax: +91 33 2255 3737
Email: wbidc@wbidc.com
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PAGE A
Q  Abundant natural and agri resources – Third
largest in India in mineral production; Highest/one
of the highest producers in agriculture & horticulture
(paddy, vegetables, fruits, jute), fisheries and animal
husbandry (highest cattle population in the country).
Q  Among the largest producers of tea; Land of the
famous Darjeeling Tea.
Q  21 products of the State have GI tags.
Q  IIT, IIM, ISI, IIEST, world-class educational institu-
tions.
Q  Advanced health care – major corporate hospitals;
state-of-art government hospitals
Q  International companies and domestic industrial
leaders in the State.
Q  Excellent urban and social infrastructure; home to
many multinationals and corporates. 36 foreign high
commissions/consulates in the State.
Q  Home to top companies from a wide range of sec-
tors, including iron and steel, tea, leather, jute, FMCG,
metals and minerals, cement, textiles and apparels,
logistics, chemicals, rubber, gems and jewellery,
pharma, plastics, IT, and petro-products.
Q  Huge tourism potential – hills, forests, tea-gar-
dens, river cruises, sea beaches, heritage-cultural
circuits (British Council estimates that Durga Puja, a
UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, contributes
Rs 32,377 crore [US$4.25 billion] to the economy).
April 2022