 "Bengal urges financial institutions to set up offices in Kolkata")
New Delhi: The Urban Development Ministry and the West Bengal government today urged leading financial institutions to set up their offices in the newly planned International Financial Hub in New Town, Kolkata.
In a meeting held at Vigyan Bhawan here, Minister of State in the UD ministry Saugata Roy and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim tried to convince leading financial institutions about the benefits of setting up their ventures in the new upcoming area.
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“Now Kolkata has a city centre, all financial institutions are there. There is no place to expand, there is no place to breathe in the centre of Kolkata as in other big cities,” Roy said in the meeting and suggested that financial bodies could shift part of their business to the new area.
“Basically it is a West Bengal government project and we as government of India cannot be partial to anything. But as a part of our overall plan to help in the setting up of satellite towns and decongestion of the major cities of this country we have taken this initiative,” he said.
In its presentation, the state government officials said the New Town, which is in close proximity of the airport, and would soon have metro connectivity also.
According to details shared in the meeting, West Bengal state officials said the New Town in Kolkata was spread in 7,000 acres of which 400 acres was the area marked for the Central Business District.
Officials said initially they were seeking Expressions of Interest for nine plots of various sizes spread over 25 acres.
West Bengal Government minister for Urban Development and municipal affairs Firhad Hakim said Kolkata was one of the fastest growing financial cities in the country and the industry should benefit from the locational advantages on the newly planned hub.
Representatives of banks Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of Hyderabad, Andhra Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, SIDBI and other financial institutions were present in the meeting.
PTI
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