Mamata Banerjee launches Asia’s 2nd largest coal mine project at Deucha-Pachami

At the 8th Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee kicked off her major project — mining at the Deucha-Pachami coal mine. This site, located in Birbhum district, is set to become Asia’s second-largest coal mine. Banerjee announced that mining would begin Wednesday. The project is expected to yield around 1,240 million tonnes of coal and 675 million tonnes of basalt.

Banerjee shared that all necessary environmental and other clearances were secured for the project. She also highlighted that the infrastructure needed for basalt mining had already been set up by a national tender-winning agency.

In addition to the mining announcement, Banerjee unveiled the formation of a state-level Investment Synergy Committee. This committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will address investment-related issues and serve as a one-stop, time-bound clearance mechanism. It will meet every two weeks to ensure timely support for various sectors, including land, fire safety, finance, MSMEs, housing, agriculture, and industry.

Banerjee also expressed her appreciation for Mukesh Ambani’s commitment to making Kolkata the hub for Jio. She acknowledged the overwhelming response at the summit, which saw participation from delegates of 40 countries, including over 200 foreign delegates.

The Chief Minister mentioned a recent conversation with Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, who could not attend the summit but sent a significant delegation. Banerjee urged Tata to begin a direct flight from Kolkata to Europe to enhance connectivity.

Reflecting on Bengal’s progress, Banerjee shared impressive statistics from the past seven business summits, which resulted in Rs 90.51 lakh crore in investment proposals. She also outlined the state’s economic growth, noting that Bengal’s GDP had grown 3.9 times, tax revenue increased 4.73 times, and capital expenditure surged 13.85 times. Social sector spending and agricultural growth also saw significant increases.

Banerjee proudly declared that Bengal stands as the prime location for investment. She emphasized the state’s status as a gateway to the East and the future destination for industrial investments. With leadership in MSME development and women’s empowerment, she added that Bengal pioneered the business summit format, now followed by other states.