The West Bengal Government on Tuesday announced a shift in the venue of its annual industry and trade fair called Bengal Leads from Kolkata to Haldia.
The second edition of Bengal Leads will be organised in Haldia, located nearly 150 km south of the city in East Midnapore district, in January 2013. The fair will be for three days.
Bengal Leads is the Government’s annual fair where it showcases the State as a favourable investment destination to prospective investors.
Political circles claim that the decision has been influenced by the State’s desperation to retain face after the ABG-LDA–run Haldia Bulk Terminals announced its decision to wind up operations from the region. Accordingly, the venue was shifted from Kolkata to Haldia.
However, State Commerce and Industry Minister, Partha Chatterjee, refuted the view and claimed that the decision was not influenced by any recent developments in the State.
Chatterjee on Tuesday met Suvendu Adhikari Chairman of the Haldia Development Authority (HDA), a nodal agency in the region, following which the details of the annual fair were finalised.