British PM David Cameron likely to meet Mamata Banerjee on Thursday

KOLKATA: The British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to meet Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, a senior state government official said on Tuesday. Cameron would be accompanied by a 20-member delegation to explore business opportunities in the state. One of the key meeting grounds is to develop Kolkata as London`s sister city, with beautification of the Hooghly riverfront central to the theme.

In May last year, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Writers' Building. Clinton had termed her trip to Kolkata as remarkable and admired Mamata for her success in dislodging the 34-year Marxists rule in West Bengal. Incidentally, Clinton was the first US Secretary of State who met the chief minister of West Bengal.

It may be recalled that the British government's DFID is helping the state government with funds to restructure the power sector and the ailing public sector enterprises, including state transport corporations. DFID is also funding the Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) programme.