Kolkata, Feb. 5 -- Describing Bengal as a "rising force in India's economy" at the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, on Wednesday, announced a fresh investment commitment of Rs 50,000 crore in the state by the end of this decade which will generate one lakh jobs.
He also praised the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her a "tireless leader". "In 2016, when I first attended this summit, Reliance's investments stood below Rs 2,000 crore. Today, in less than a decade, our investments in Bengal have increased 20 times. We have invested over Rs 50,000 crore. Another Rs 50,000 crore will be invested by the end of this decade. Our investment will span over multiple sectors, including digital services, green energy, and retail," said Ambani.
He announced an investment in the digital infrastructure of Bengal with the Jio AI Ready Data Centre in Bengal Silicon Valley Hub which is expected to be functional by December 2025, and a data cable-landing project in Digha, East Midnapore that is set to be commissioned by March 2026.
According to Ambani, Bengal has always been a land of super-intelligent people and there is no way that the state can fail when natural intelligence is enhanced by the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). He added that no power on earth can stop Bengal's resurgence. In terms of green energy, Ambani said his company's new energy initiative will begin its operations at the end of 2025, contributing to Bengal's green economy. "It is our endeavour to make India the world's biggest manufacturing hub for clean and green energy. In this, Reliance would like to contribute to Bengal's green economy. Our motto is: 'Solar Bangla for Sonar Bangla'," Ambani said.
Encouraging other investors to follow Reliance's lead, Ambani called Bengal a land of opportunity. "Reliance has had a wonderful experience of doing business in Bengal. Mamata Didi is one of the ablest administrators in India.. So, friends, come to Bengal, and script new and beautiful chapters in Bengal's growth story." He further announced that Reliance Retail will increase its presence in Bengal from 1300 stores to 1700 stores by 2026. Reliance-led distribution chain will facilitate the artisan economy through the Swadesh portal. "Bengal's strategic location and fast-improving physical infrastructure give the state an enviable edge. The biggest asset of Bengal is its people - over 100 million hard-working, extremely talented and highly cultured people," Ambani said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.