Mamata claims Rs 2.43 lakh crore investment at Bengal Business Summit; mocks at Vibrant Gujarat

The 7th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, a flagship program of the Gujarat government is in its last day today and the political trudging around it has begun. 

Mamata Banerjee's Bengal Business Summit that ran over a period of two days (January 7-8, 2015) saw over 1000 delegates from 20 countries. As per the claims of the West Bengal government, the state signed MoUs worth Rs 2.43 lakh crore during this Business Summit. Compared to the Vibrant Gujarat summit where 21,000 MoUs worth Rs 25 lakh crore were signed till January 12, 2015. 

The advertisement in national dailies by the Mamata Banerjee government on January 13, 2015 is a result of the political bickering it has found itself in with the BJP and Gujarat's own Vibrant Gujarat Summit, where the likes of US Secretary of State John Kerry showed up. 

On January 11, 2015, the BJP slammed Mamata Banerjee's claims that the Eastern state had signed MoUs worth Rs 2,43,000 crore over its two-day Business Summit. 

BJP claimed that out of this total Rs 2,43,000 crore, nearly Rs 1,14,000 crore would come from the various development schemes of the Central Government through its departments. 

The BJP had accused Mamata Banerjee's government of bluffing with public money. It was in response to this that the West Bengal government decided to take out a national campaign advertising its achievements as well. 

Meanwhile, General Secretary of All India Congress Committee, Digvijay Singh, took to micro bogging site Twitter,  questioning whether the Gujarat government will put the investment information in public domain.

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In a series of tweets, Digvijay Singh said, "Would Gujarat government please bring in the Public Domain Number of MOUs signed in Investment Summits since 2003 to 2014 and implemented? Also Investments made and actual employment provided since 2003 excluding Reliance ESSAR and Adani Groups."

Taking on Prime Ministers Modi, he further added, "Would Modi ji now do something in Uttar Pradesh which he represents and which has given him maximum seats in Parliament?"

Would Gujarat Govt pl bring in the Public Domain Number of MOUs signed in Investment Summits since 2003 to 2014 and implemented?

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) January 11, 2015

Also read: Reliance to invest Rs 1 lakh crore in Gujarat in 12 to 18 months, says Mukesh Ambani

At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, corporates from India and abroad pledged to invest a staggering Rs 25 lakh crore and signed 21,000 MoUs. The companies that have disclosed their investment commitments include Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Aditya Birla Group, Suzlon and Videocon, as well as foreign players like Rio Tinto, Suzuki and CLP Holdings. The proposals also include creation of lakhs of jobs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the inaugural session of the 7th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit - PTI

Apart from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and US Secretary of State John Kerry, the summit was attended by several ministers from Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada and over 50 CEOs of top Indian as well as international companies. Eight countries, including the US, Canada and Japan have for the first time become partner nations for the summit.

Also read: Vibrant Gujarat Summit: Government committed to improve India's economic and social condition, says PM Modi