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Need to break away from obsolete policies: Jaitley
Kolkata, Aug 23
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
on Sunday said that political differences will not come in way of
developing West Bengal and promised full cooperation to state.
Speaking
at the launch of the Bandhan Bank here, Jaitley said breaking away from
obsolete policies was imperative for the growth of the eastern region
to lead to the development of the entire country.
"A great
institution is being born in West Bengal. What is most important is the
birth of a Bengal entrepreneur, which is of utmost importance for the
revival and growth of the fundamentals of Bengal," said Jaitley.
"During
the global business summit here (January), I categorically stated that
the party to which I belong and the party which rules the state are
strongly opposed and that probably will continue.
"But in terms
of development of the country and the state, the political difference
will not matter, and we will fully cooperate in the development and
growth of West Bengal," said the BJP leader.
"I do not have the
least doubts that with the cooperation between the centre and the state,
we will work together towards the advance growth rate which eventually
enables us to bring prosperity."
Jaitley also took a dig at the erstwhile Left Front government which ran the state from 1977 to 2011.
"For
me personally, when I came to this great city yesterday, I saw a very
pleasant change. With broad words 'Bandhan Bank' written on it, the
whole city had been almost painted blue.
"I recollect my days
from the younger years when I used to see this city painted red. And
when it was painted red, of course new institutions were not being born.
"The
existing ones were shifting out and West Bengal, which was known not
for producing many entrepreneurs but certainly known for producing
intellectuals, even (Bandhan bank chairman) Ashok Lahiri and (state
finance minister) Amit Mitra had shifted out.
"I do hope (it is) this change of colour that has brought back both of them," the minister said.
Reiterating
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call that the development of the eastern
region was a must, Jaitley conceded the country's western part was far
more developed.
He said eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Bihar, Odisha and northeast region needed more growth, economic
activities and employment.
The minister also said agriculture had a great prospect in Bengal as the state was blessed with lot of water.
Jaitley stressed the need to create more academic institutions of repute and restoring the older ones back to their excellence.
"Odisha
and Bengal have lot of mineral resource, natural wealth, north east has
oil and gas and therefore for the growth of this region you have the
fundamentals which are present here.
"It is a break from some of
the obsolete policies of the past and realization of potential of the
area which are of extreme importance," he said.