Adani Group commits investments of more than Rs 10,000 crore in West Bengal over next decade

Kolkata, April 20, 2022

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani today said the group's total investments in West Bengal were expected to exceed Rs 10,000 crore over the next decade.

"The Adani Group’s investments in Bengal will span world class port infrastructure, state-of-the-art data centres and the undersea cables that will connect them across the oceans, centres of excellence in digital innovation, massive fulfilment centres, warehouses and logistics parks, and the continued expansion of Adani Wilmar’s Fortune products, which is already a household name in the state," he said in his address at the 2022 Bengal Global Business Summit here.

"What I am committing to bring to Bengal is the best of the Adani Group – our expertise in infrastructure, our speed of execution, our experience, and our focus on building bigger and better. What I am committing to bring is the technology and scale that will help recalibrate infrastructure in Bengal. What I am committing to bring is the promise that I will live up to the expectations of the people of Bengal," he said.

Adani said the investment was expected to create 25,000 or more direct and indirect jobs for the people of Bengal.

"Thereafter, as we continue to expand here, we will bring into Bengal our world-class expertise across the green energy value chain," he said.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior officials of the state government and captains of industry were among those present at the Business Summit.

Adani began by recalling that Bengal and its many illustrious sons had helped to shape India over the decades.

"This is the land of many-many great souls: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Subhas Chandra Bose, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Sarat Chandra Bose, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee – I could go on and on – the list is as stunning as it is endless. No single state has produced as many giants of nationalism as Bengal has," he said.

"However, what is even more stunning but perhaps less well-known outside Bengal is that no state in India has given us as many women freedom fighters as Bengal has. Kalpana Datta, Pritilata Waddedar, Suhasini Ganguly, Bina Das, Kamala Das Gupta, Sucheta Kripalani, Matangini Hazra, Sarojini Naidu – these are just a few of the women of Bengal whose courage has no parallel in our history. These women empowered themselves to define their own destiny – which was making the ultimate sacrifice for a free India.

"This is why I am not surprised that, at the biggest of the Pujas, the people of Bengal primarily worship Devis. Indeed, no state represents women empowerment as Bengal does.

"Hon’ble Chief Minister, the legacy of these great women has been continued by you. From the social perspective your flagship scheme ‘Kanya Shree’ that focused on the girl child has been a stunning success. It is not a surprise that this scheme was awarded the highest public service honour by the United Nations. Likewise, the UN award-winning ‘Utkorsh Bangla’ program for skill development – and ‘Shobooj Shaathi’ scheme for children to cycle to school – have demonstrated your deep understanding of the needs of the younger segments of our society to whom you have now given a platform to succeed.

"No wonder your popularity is unmatched, your charisma remarkable, and the trust your people have in you – unshakeable," he told Chief Minister Banerjee.

"Not only is Bengal a delta for the Ganga and the Brahmaputra – it is also the delta for arts, science and thought – and Didi – you are a true manifestation of this great delta of thinkers, poets, writers, designers, and painters," he said.

"The Adani Group is honoured to be here – to make a difference – and work alongside the people of Bengal," he added.

NNN