Infrastructure major Shapoorji Pallonji Group has evinced interest in investing in various sectors in the State.
The Mumbai-headquartered group, which is the largest stakeholder in Tata Sons, has in a letter to the State Finance Minister Amit Mitra expressed interest in sectors such as healthcare, deep sea port, hydro power, IT and infrastructure.
According to Mitra, the group has also shown interest in investing in other sectors such as housing, aerospace and solar photo-voltaic cell manufacturing.
“Shapoorji Pallonji is willing to invest in Bengal and have written in this regard. The projects taken up by the Group would create substantial employment opportunity in the state,” he told reporters at Writers’ Buildings on Saturday evening.
Group Managing Director Shapoor Mistry had earlier expressed his willingness to work in the State.
“We have already invested over Rs 1,000 crore in West Bengal. We have come today to see various other avenues which could be of mutual benefit and interest,” Mistry had told reporters after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 1.
Existing sectors
Mitra, however, maintained that the State had already called for bids in the roads and highways, ports and healthcare sectors. Attempts will be made to ensure that the Shapoorji Pallonji Group participates in these ongoing tenders, he said.
“There are some sectors where we are looking for investments through the public private partnership (PPP) mode. Tenders have also been called. We will try and persuade the Shapoorji Pallonji Group to bid through tenders in these sectors,” Mitra said.
He added that the Group was “not looking for favours” from the State for investment in these sectors. According to Mitra, options to set up new airports through PPP mode will also be explored with the Group.
“Shapoorji Pallonji feels that West Bengal has the potential to be the gateway to South and South East Asian nations,” he added.