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.

Need to break away from obsolete policies: Jaitley