West Bengal industrial growth slowed down: Nirupam Sen

HALDIA: Former West Bengal Industry minister Nirupam Sen today claimed that the industrial growth in the state has gone down drastically since Mamata Banerjee-led government came to power in the state.

"The industrial growth in the state stood at 10 per cent during Left Front rule. It plunged to 4 per cent since the Trinamool Congress government came to power," Sen told a rally here this afternoon.

Sen was the Commerce and Industries minister when West Bengal government acquired land in Singur and pushed for setting up of a chemical hub in Nandigram.

Both the projects were abandoned in the face of violent protests.

Sen also alleged that the present state government is promoting nepotism and recruiting party workers by bypassing the recruitment through employment exchanges.

"The ministers are giving out list of candidates to be given jobs for government projects. This is done to recruit party workers and bypass the employment exchanges," he said.