The Asian Development Bank has offered financial assistance to the West Bengal government for developing infrastructure to support industrial growth in the state. According to reports from Business Standard, the proposal came when an ADB delegation met a top bureaucrat at the Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday, a day after the state budget was presented. A senior bureaucrat at Nabanna stated that ADB has indicated its willingness to support the state in building economic regions that can improve industrial connectivity, logistics and urban infrastructure. Discussions are at a preliminary stage, but the proposals are significant.
ADB has proposed the creation of two City Economic Regions (CERs) in West Bengal to improve industrial connectivity. As reported by Business Standard, one CER would cover Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Uluberia and Dankuni in south Bengal, while the other would be built around Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar in the northern part of the state. The proposal aligns with the framework prepared by NITI Aayog for creating integrated economic zones around major urban centres, with similar projects already being implemented around Surat, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar with Central government support.
During the meeting, ADB officials expressed interest in supporting pollution-free modern public transport systems, traffic planning and drainage infrastructure in Kolkata and other urban centres of the state. According to Business Standard, the multilateral funding agency has suggested that a port-based industrial region, on the lines of Visakhapatnam, could be developed around Haldia and Digha. Officials believe the proposed zone could combine industrial activity with tourism development. Additionally, ADB has proposed the development of a heavy industry hub focused on steel and engineering sectors in the Durgapur-Asansol belt.
The agency has further suggested promoting eco-tourism in the Sundarbans and creating dedicated tourism circuits covering Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the Dooars region. As reported by Business Standard, a senior bureaucrat noted that there is considerable potential to build sector-specific growth centres in different parts of the state. Such projects can generate employment and improve regional economic activity, with the official emphasizing that such projects can generate employment and improve regional economic activity.
