West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today inaugurated the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre here, which she claimed to be the biggest in eastern India, and said that she wanted all states to grow, develop and inspire each other to do better.
The main convention hall has a seating capacity of 3,000.
The complex at New Town also has two smaller-capacity auditoria, each with a seating capacity of 434, and four large exhibition halls including a banquet hall.
A business hotel is located at the convention centre.
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"We want all states to prosper and move forward on the road of growth. If we do good work that will be followed by others. Also, if others do good work, we will follow them and be inspired," Banerjee said at the inauguration programme.
"West Bengal has already proved its worth by hosting the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup successfully. Before Diwali the lamp of development is glowing in Bengal and Kolkata shines brighter than other cities," she said.
Describing the convention centre as the biggest in eastern India and one of the largest in the country, the chief minister said it was beautifully constructed by the Larsen & Toubro under the supervision of the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) at a cost of Rs 500 crore.
The Bengal Global business Summit in January next year is going to be held at this convention centre, she said.
"This (convention centre) is the new jewel in the crown of the state and of the country. The booking for the centre for 2019 has started already and that proves the industrial development in Bengal," Banerjee said.
The chief minister, who named the complex as Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, had proposed its setting up.
Lauding West Bengal's culture and heritage, she said her government has allocated Rs 350 crore to build a business centre at Digha in East Midnapore.
