West Bengal budget consultation highlights investment, ease of doing business, and infrastructure needs

West Bengal’s finance department held a pre-budget consultation with industry chambers and trade groups on Tuesday. Stakeholders pressed for steps to raise investment and improve infrastructure. Several groups also asked for simpler rules and quicker clearances. The talks came as the BJP government prepared its first state budget, due in the Assembly on June 22.

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Additional Chief Secretary Finance Prabhat Kumar Mishra chaired the meeting. Bodies present included the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, CREDAI, ASSOCHAM and CII. Other chambers and trade organisations also joined. Senior officials attended, including Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Khalid Anwar. Finance department sources said the session aimed to gather inputs before budget proposals were finalised.

West Bengal budget consultation focuses on investment and ease of doing business

A finance department source said the meeting stayed consultative. Industry representatives shared sector-wise expectations for the budget. Key issues included investment incentives and stronger infrastructure planning. Stakeholders also flagged trade licence simplification and improvements to the single-window clearance system. Other topics included solid waste management and concerns in real estate and construction.

Discussions also covered the development of the Haldia industrial region. Participants raised the promotion of solar energy projects as another area needing budget support. Several bodies linked these measures to job creation and project timelines. Finance department sources said suggestions from industry and trade groups were collected for consideration during budget preparation.

West Bengal budget consultation highlights GST refunds and MSME incentives

The Bharat Chamber of Commerce submitted a memorandum of recommendations. The Chamber also made a presentation on policy steps to improve the state’s business environment. It sought strict timelines for GST refunds and adjudication. The Chamber also asked for automatic escalation when cases got delayed. It urged a broad incentive framework for MSMEs and large industries.

The Chamber asked for timely disbursal of incentives across schemes. It also proposed targeted support for furniture, handicrafts, traditional sweets and dairy. The group recommended employment-linked incentives to support hiring. It also sought policy backing for logistics parks, warehousing and cold chains. Other areas named were river transport, data centres, GCCs and IT/ITES.

West Bengal budget consultation draws land policy demands from CREDAI

CREDAI urged the state government to scrap urban land ceiling provisions. It also asked for rationalised land-related rules and new township policies. CREDAI also sought slum redevelopment policies to improve investment prospects. The body argued that removing Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act provisions would help large townships, housing projects, and hubs.

The group said higher ceiling limits could support commercial and industrial hubs, along with IT parks. Industry bodies were expected to watch the government’s stand on land and industrial policies. During the election campaign, state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya advocated reviewing the Land Ceiling Act. Bhattacharya said easier access to land was needed for large investments.

The BJP government was still awaiting the announcement of a state finance minister. Party legislators said Cabinet portfolio allocation was expected on Wednesday. This followed the swearing-in of 35 ministers on June 1. With the June 22 budget approaching, industry groups were likely to track how these consultations shaped policy choices and timelines.

With inputs from PTI