Smart city for business analytics to come up in West Bengal

KOLKATA: West Bengal government will support a project to set up a smart city for business analytics in the state, first of its kind in the country.

The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I), which took the initiative, has identified a 250-acre of land on the Kalyani Expressway for the project.

"It's a new concept and first of its kind in the country. Lots of land are there in Kalyani. I've heard many townships have been planned there... Knowledge City and other townships. These are not agricultural, but marshy land," state minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Firhad Hakim told reporters at a business analytics summit here today.

"The Analytics Hub will be a private initiative with government support. The government will give the permission and if successful it will open up a new horizon... If we can do it here then West Bengal will be the first state to host such a city in the country," he said.

Earlier in the day, the state's Finance and Industry minister Amit Mitra welcomed the initiative said "availability of land will not be a problem for the project."

State Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) chairman Debashis Sen also welcomed the move of the Chamber and said, "We promise to help in a big way."

BCC&I president-elect and Head, Management of Consulting at KPMG Advisory Services, Ambarish Dasgupta said "We have been talking to the state government for the land. It has suggested that 250-acres could be made available for the project in that area."

According to Kallol Datta, the outgoing president of BCC&I, the project is expected to attract investments in between Rs 3,000 - Rs 5,000 crore besides, generating thousands of employment.

"The project has to be close to an airport. It will not be feasible without the government's involvement," Datta said.