Kolkata: Bengal received 15 proposals worth Rs 2,666 crore for ethanol production after the state government adopted a special policy to promote the biofuel, chief secretary H K Dwivedi said at Nabanna on Wednesday. He added that the WBIDC would set up a dedicated ethanol park.
“We emphasised on production of ethanol from rice. Being the highest producer of rice, Bengal records a huge surplus even after export. The state cabinet thus okayed a policy to produce ethanol from broken rice. The project will generate jobs and revenue for Bengal,” he said at the first meeting of the state industrial promotion board.
Several other issues came up for discussion at the meeting. Dwivedi said the state government would float a request for a proposal to dredge sand from Durgapur barrage. It would also develop the Tajpur port, he said. “We conducted a survey and found 1,200-1,400 acres at a salt factory. Many people are interested in the port project.”
According to the chief secretary, Bengal has received a proposal to set up a data centre in Hooghly while integrated textile parks are on the cards in Kalyani (Nadia) and Ashoknagar (North 24 Parganas).
According to the chief secretary, Bengal has received a proposal to set up a data centre in Hooghly while integrated textile parks are on the cards in Kalyani (Nadia) and Ashoknagar (North 24 Parganas).
Dwivedi said ONGC was expected to start commercial production in Ashoknagar soon. “The state has granted petroleum exploration licence to ONGC for North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly,” he added.
To enhance egg and meat production, the state will spend Rs 342 crore on poultry farms, layered farms, poultry feed plants and bio-composed farms. “The state produces 1,050 crore eggs annually, but requires 1,450 crore. We bring the rest mostly from Andhra Pradesh. The aim is to produce 390 crore more eggs in the state,” Dwivedi said, adding that private players would be invited to invest in the sector.
Around 400 block-level Bangla Dairy outlets are in the pipeline too.
Bengal plans to adopt a comprehensive policy for mining black stone in Birbhum and Burdwan on the lines of an existing policy for sand mining. The prevailing system is causing irreparable damage to the environment, besides loss of revenue for the state.
The above news was originally posted on timesofindia.indiatimes.com
