Rajasthan eyes Kolkata traders

KOLKATA: The Rajasthan government, which is doing nationwide roadshows to showcase investment opportunities in the state, appears to have elicited strong interest from Kolkata’s business community.

While the Rajasthan government allotted on-the-spot land to nine local investors with cumulative business proposals worth some Rs 10 crore on Wednesday, more proposals are on anvil.

Talking to newsmen here on Wednesday, Rajasthan’s industry minister Narpat Singh Rajvi said “he had received several business proposals in areas like hotel, textiles, stone-based industry, cement and power from Kolkata”.

Mr Rajvi is heading a senior-level team that is now in Kolkata for the two-day investors meet. “We are meeting investors on a one-on-one basis, and even on-the-spot land and fast-track clearance facilities are offered to those who are interested to invest in Rajasthan. Already nine business deals were finalised and land allotted on the first day itself, of which three are textile projects. Few more are in the pipeline,” Mr Rajvi said.

Rajasthan State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation’s managing director Kuldeep Ranka said the state industry minister is slated to meet the big guns on Thursday. This includes Sanjeev Goenka from the RPG group, RS Goenka and RS Agarwal of Emami and senior officials from Burnpur Cement as well.

Mr Ranka said the industry minister and his team also met HM Bangur of Shree Cement on Wednesday. “They are setting-up a clinker grinding plant in Rajasthan and wanted us to sort out some connectivity problems that he is facing. We have assured him full assistance,” Mr Ranka said.

Meanwhile, Mr Rajvi said Rajasthan has organised a craft festival in Kolkata with award-winning artisans visiting for the first time.

“This is done on an experimental basis and based on the success, we intend to make it an annual affair. We would also like to partner with West Bengal government for cultural exchange programmes which could be finalised at the chief minister level,” Mr Rajvi said.

Mr Rajvi highlighted recent initiatives of the Rajasthan government in developing infrastructure and attracting investment in the state. “Plans are afoot to take this roadshow overseas to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Europe,” he said.