West Bengal

Last Updated: November 2009


West Bengal has a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of US$ 75.5 billion and as of August 2009, the state had an installed electricity generating capacity of 7,942 MW. It is the second largest tea-growing state in India and accounts for 24 per cent of the total tea production in India. The state’s total annual production of tea is 226.8 million kg (mkg). Industrial performance in the state, is driven by medium and small scale units. As of September 2007, there were 10,795 small scale industrial units registered with the Directorate of Cottage and Small Scale Industries.

West Bengal is the leading exporter of finished leather goods; around 25 per cent of the country's leather goods are exported from the state. West Bengal accounts for almost 4 per cent of India’s production of petroleum products and 13 per cent of the country’s polymer production.

West Bengal has more than US$ 22.2 billion-worth of investments in the pipeline, West Bengal has emerged as a favourite destination for the steel industry.

As of December 2008, West Bengal has outstanding investments of around US$ 142 billion in the manufacturing sector. The tertiary sector contributes the most to the state’s GDP and accounts for 59.8 per cent of the GSDP (2006-07) with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2 per cent.

West Bengal is amongst the fastest growing states with regard to the IT sector and the IT and ITeS sector is projected to contribute 15-20 per cent to the state’s economy by 2010. Total export earnings of IT companies located in the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) was US$ 754.5 million in 2007.

State Presentation (September 2009)
State Presentation (September 2009)
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