Amid uncertainties over the fate of Britannia Industries’ Kolkata plant, Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister, on Tuesday said the biscuit maker is fully committed to the State.
In a media conference at Nabanna, the State secretariat, Mitra said he spoke to Britannia Industries Executive Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Varun Berry, who assured him that the company remained committed to the State and would build its business from strength to strength here.
Mitra spoke to Berry, who is travelling abroad, over the phone.
“Berry has told me that after coming back from abroad, the full team of Britannia will meet the State government to take Britannia business here from strength to strength,” he said.
Notably, in a recent stock exchange filing, Britannia said a voluntary retirement scheme offered by it to the workers at its factory situated at Kolkata’s Taratala has been accepted by all the permanent workers.
While around 120 permanent workers have accepted the VRS, the management has also started discussions with contractual workers for the same. The development has casted a shadow over the future of the over seven-decade-old factory.
Mitra came down heavily on the reports that Britannia is leaving Bengal. He said the company is producing its products worth over ₹1,000 crore from Bengal through some franchisee now which would continue.
West Bengal is one of the biggest markets for Britannia. Mitra added that the Britannia MD assured him that the registered office of the company would remain in Kolkata.