'Would've Folded Hands Before Ratan Tata': Bengal Industry Minister Makes Investment Pitch | Exclusive
'Would've Folded Hands Before Ratan Tata': Bengal Industry Minister Makes Investment Pitch | Exclusive Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 15:32 IST
'Would've Folded Hands Before Ratan Tata': Bengal Industry Minister Makes Investment Pitch | Exclusive Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 15:32 IST Tapas Roy said Bengal had undergone a transformation and was ready to position itself as an attractive destination for businesses Rapid Read Bengal's new industries minister Tapas Roy (Left). Hours after being allocated the industries portfolio in the newly expanded West Bengal cabinet, Industries Minister Tapas Roy said he would personally reach out to industrialists to bring investment into the state, asserting that “Bengal has changed" and promising a business-friendly environment free of extortion. In an exclusive conversation with News18, Roy invoked the legacy of the late industrialist Ratan Tata while outlining his vision for reviving industrial growth in the state. “If Ratan Tata were alive today, I would have personally gone to him and, with folded hands, requested him to invest in Bengal," Roy said.
Signalling an aggressive outreach to industry, the minister added that he remains willing to approach business leaders personally to encourage investment. “Even now, I am prepared to approach industrialists with folded hands and invite them to come and invest in the state," he said. Roy said West Bengal had undergone a transformation and was ready to position itself as an attractive destination for businesses. “Bengal has changed. This is a new Bengal," he said, while seeking to address long-standing concerns among investors. “There will be no ‘tolabaji’ (extortion) in this Bengal. We are committed to creating a business-friendly environment," Roy said. The minister also pointed to ongoing investment activity, claiming that major projects were already taking shape in the state. “Major investments are already coming in. Amul is setting up a major project in the state," he said.
Roy linked the state’s industrial ambitions to support from the Centre, saying Union Home Minister Amit Shah would soon visit West Bengal. “Shah will also be visiting Bengal," he said, adding that coordination between the state and Centre would help accelerate development. “This is a double-engine government. The entire Union government will work together to accelerate Bengal’s industrial growth and development," Roy said. The newly appointed minister also took a swipe at the previous administration, accusing it of neglecting industrial development. “The earlier government did nothing for industrial development apart from singing and dancing," Roy said. The remarks come after the West Bengal government on Wednesday announced portfolios for its newly inducted ministers, with Swapan Dasgupta taking charge of the finance department and Roy being handed the crucial industries portfolio amid expectations of a renewed push to attract investment into the state.
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