Bengal will once again become powerful hub of trade, employment: CAIT

NEW DELHI: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Friday said West Bengal can once again emerge as a major hub of trade, industry and employment if the state gets a transparent and investor-friendly government aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic vision.

CAIT Secretary and BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said the trade and industrial community in West Bengal is now witnessing renewed hope and confidence over the possibility of a BJP-led government in the state.

According to him, industry, trade, MSMEs, traditional businesses and entrepreneurship in West Bengal have faced significant challenges over the past 15 years due to policy instability, declining investor confidence, migration of industries, syndicate culture and administrative pressure.

"West Bengal, once counted among the country’s leading industrial states, has today fallen behind in the race for investment, employment and industrial development," Khandelwal said.

He claimed that thousands of MSME units either shut down or shifted operations to other states, while traders, artisans, small industries and traditional businesses did not receive adequate policy support over the past decade.