Bengal Global Business Summit: Mukesh Ambani says Reliance Group plans to invest Rs 10,000 cr in state

Mukesh Ambani, chairman, Reliance Industries, announced plans for Reliance Jio network to cover 100 percent of West Bengal’s population in the current year. Stating this at the inaugural session of the two-day Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata on Thursday, Ambani said the network is progressing at a fast pace. Out of  the state’s 9 crore population, Jio has 1.2 crore loyal customers, Ambani said, adding that the aim is to increase this manifold in coming years. Jio is the largest investor in the state, Ambani said. “Today our investment stands at Rs 28,000 crore in West Bengal alone which is one-tenth of our investment in India. We have planned a further investment of Rs 10,000 crore," said Ambani.” In 2016, Reliance investment in West Bengal was Rs 4,500 crore.

Ambani announced a slew of measures for West Bengal from optic fibres to ecommerce platform that would generate employment in the state.

With Reliance Jio, Ambani hoped to make every home a smart home by connecting through optic fibre cable. West Bengal is poised to become a logistics hub of the east with a plan to attract Rs 5,000 crore investment. Reliance is already operating three warehouses here, he said. [caption id=“attachment_4310725” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani.[/caption] There are plans to come out with a new e-commerce platform in West Bengal, said Ambani. This will become a win-win platform for consumers, retailers and enrich and empower 3 lakh crore retailers, he said. Mentioning that Jio has a brick and mortar presence in every tehsil, Ambani said that 350 Jio points would go up to 1000 by end of the year. (Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost)