West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced the commencement of basalt mining operations at the Deucha-Pachami coal mine in Birbhum district, a key milestone in her government’s development agenda.
“Mining will commence from Wednesday at Asia’s second-largest coal mine,” Banerjee declared at the 8th Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). The project is expected to yield approximately 1,240 million tonnes of coal and 675 million tonnes of basalt.
The Chief Minister emphasized that all necessary environmental and other clearances have been obtained for the project. She further informed that an agency, selected through a competitive national tender, has already established the required infrastructure for basalt mining.
To further enhance the state’s investment climate, Banerjee announced the formation of a new state-level Investment Synergy Committee. This committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will serve as a one-stop mechanism to address investment-related challenges across various sectors, including land, fire safety, finance, MSME, housing, agriculture, and industry. The committee will meet fortnightly to ensure timely support and facilitate business growth in the state.
During the summit, Banerjee expressed her gratitude to Mukesh Ambani for his commitment to making Kolkata a hub for Jio. She also acknowledged the significant participation of Tata Sons, represented by a high-level delegation led by the CEO, despite Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran’s inability to attend due to prior commitments. Banerjee urged Tata Sons to consider establishing a direct flight from Kolkata to Europe.
“We are honored by the overwhelming response at the BGBS, with delegates from 40 countries and over 200 foreign delegates in attendance,” Banerjee said. “We have received investment proposals worth Rs 90.51 lakh crore during the last seven business summits held in Kolkata.”
She further emphasized the state’s immense potential for investment, stating, “Bengal is the prime location for investment; it is the gateway to the East and the future destination for industrial investment. We are number one in the MSME sector and in women empowerment. We pioneered the business summit, and now other states are following our lead.”
