Bengal holds high-level meet on chemical hub, other projects

Kolkata: The West Bengal Government on Wednesday held a high-level meeting to review the progress of various projects proposed to be set up by New Kolkata International Development Pvt Ltd (NKID), a consortium that has as its partners the Salim Group of Indonesia, Universal Success Group of Singapore and Unitech India.

Besides the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and the Minister for Industries and Commerce, Mr Nirupam Sen, other ministers of the State Government and senior officials attended the meeting.

The projects taken up for review included the proposed chemicals hub at Nayachar Island off Haldia and the Raichak-Kukrahati bridge project.

A project to extend NH 34 to connect North and South 24 Parganas and Diamond Harbour under the banner of NH 117 that would be taken up with the National Highways Authority of India was also discussed.

Addressing newspersons after the meeting held at Writers’ Buildings here, Mr Bhattacharjee said a proposal had been sent to the Centre for the setting up a PCPIR (Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region) at Nayachar Island of Haldia.

The State Government has formed an expert committee under the chairmanship of Mr Subir Raha, former Chairman and Managing Director of ONGC Ltd, to monitor the implementation of the project.

Consultants

On its part, NKID has appointed Jurong Consultants of Singapore as consultants to the project. The company would also be an anchor investor in the project, Mr Bhattacharjee said. The Nayachar project was estimated to be completed in 15 years.

The investment that would be required for implementation of the project would be known only after detailed project reports were ready, he said.

Committee

A steering committee headed by Chief Minister has been formed to monitor the progress of all these projects, it was stated.