West Bengal Industries and Industrial Policy- 2 | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Haldia Industrial Region
Haldia Industrial Region, situated approximately 100 km from Kolkata in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal, encompasses the port and township of Haldia at the convergence of the Haldia and Hooghly rivers. The Haldia Development Authority (HDA) governs this region, covering a total area exceeding 300 sq km.
Prominent industries, both in the public and private sectors, such as Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Lever Limited, and Tata Chemical Limited, are strategically located in Haldia.

Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri Industrial Region
The Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri Industrial Region encompasses the North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar, known for their significant tea and timber resources. Siliguri, located in the South-Eastern part of Darjeeling, serves as an industrial center for tea processing and forest-based wood products.
Some of the important industries location with their industries in this region are given below:  

Small Scale and Cottage Industries
West Bengal hosts a substantial number of small-scale and cottage industries, comprising around 50-60 thousand units that offer employment opportunities. Specializing in various weaving patterns for sarees like Tangail and Baluchari, these units contribute to the state's reputation for silk and cotton handloom sarees. Additionally, West Bengal is known for jute silk and jute cotton sarees, with cottage industries playing a vital role in employment generation.
Some common industries in this sector are as follows:
 

Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
The establishment of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kulpi over 1500 hectares is underway through an agreement involving the Government of West Bengal, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd., and Bengal Port Limited. Currently, there are five functional SEZs in the state, including Falta (multi-products zone), Manikanchan at Salt Lake (gems and jewellery), WIPRO at Kolkata (IT/ITES), Unitech Hightech at Rajarhat (IT/ITES), and ML Dalmiya and Company at Bantala (Kolkata) (IT/ITES).
Industrial Parks in West Bengal
 

Departments For Industrial Development 

• West Bengal Financial Corporation (WBFC) 
  Enacted under the State Financial Corporations Act of 1951, WBFC oversees the approval of loan proposals and extends support in project financing and promotional services.
• West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation (WBSIDC) 
  Established in 1961, WBSIDC aims to promote small entrepreneurs involved in manufacturing wooden, steel, aluminum consumer durables.
• West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (WBIDC) 
  Founded in 1967 under the Companies Act, WBIDC is tasked with conceptualizing, developing, and facilitating industry, investment, and infrastructure growth in West Bengal.
• West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation Limited (WEBEL) 
  Formed on February 4, 1974, WEBEL initially focused on shaping the electronics industry. Adapting to changing needs in 2000, it aligned itself with the requirements of the IT and ITES industries.
• West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBIIDC) 
  This corporation aims to develop industrial areas or parts thereof for the establishment of Industries Growth Centres/Parks.

West Bengal Industrial Policy, 2013
Following are the objectives of industrial policy:
The objectives of this policy include increasing the manufacturing growth rate, focusing on sustainable development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and promoting rapid growth in various industries like entertainment, ICT, software development, and banking and financial services.

Schemes and Initiatives

• SWAS Service with a Smile: A mobile app launched by the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises to provide institutional facilities for government matters.
• Shilpa Sathi: Operated by WBIDCL, it serves as a single-window portal for obtaining government certificates and licenses for small entrepreneurs.
• Cluster Development Programme: The State Government provides common facilities for industrial development in clusters. Eighteen clusters, covering all districts except North Dinajpur, Jhargram, and Kalimpong, have been selected.
• Egiye Bangla: Established in 2012, it provides financial and other support to young entrepreneurs with unique business ideas.
• Rural Haat: The State Government has set up rural haats or markets in Jalpaiguri, Bankura (Bishnupur), Purulia, and West Midnapore to boost handicrafts and village industries.