Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Thursday announced that the conglomerate would invest more than Rs 1 lakh crore in West Bengal by 2035.
₹1 lakh crore investment plan
Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation for a 2,000-bed hospital in the New Town area near Kolkata along with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Adani said the group would spend Rs 4,000 crore on the multi-speciality 'Adani Arogya Mandir', and the project would create 10,000 jobs.
Adani said half of the beds at the not-for-profit hospital would be reserved for economically weaker sections eligible under state and central health insurance schemes, and the facility would also house a medical college along with research and care infrastructure.
Adani said the group would spend Rs 4,000 crore on the multi-speciality 'Adani Arogya Mandir', and the project would create 10,000 jobs.
Investment to span multiple sectors
"We expect to invest over Rs 1 lakh crore in West Bengal by 2035," Adani said, adding that the investment would span ports, logistics, power generation, power transmission and distribution, roads, bridges and ropeways, green cement and hyperscale data centres.
This is the first formal mention of the Adani Group's proposal to invest in power distribution, which has so far remained the monopoly of R P Sanjiv Goenka Group, through its flagship company CESC Ltd, in Kolkata and Howrah.
CESC Ltd supplies power to the twin cities, while the rest of West Bengal, along with Salt Lake and New Town, remains under the state-owned WBSEDCL.
Explaining the rationale for the infrastructure push, Adani said ports strengthen logistics, logistics attracts industry, industry drives manufacturing, manufacturing needs energy, and energy enables digital infrastructure, adding that "jobs multiply" as the chain builds up.
Focus on Bengal's infrastructure and heritage
Calling West Bengal the country's natural maritime and logistics bridge to Northeast India and Southeast Asia, Adani said the state has the potential to become "one of Asia's greatest integrated industrial and economic platforms".
He also announced the group's support for the restoration of the Writers' Building, revitalisation of Kumartuli Ghat, and initiatives to showcase Kolkata's Durga Puja to the world.
Adani described Mundra Port in Gujarat as the group's first 'karmabhoomi' (land where one works), and he hoped West Bengal would become its second 'karmabhoomi'.
Adani said he had visited the Kalighat Temple earlier in the day and prayed for strength to lead, have the will to dream and energy to execute.
West Bengal's awakening and progress would translate into "India's momentum", he added.