Remove controls, ease restrictions and let industries do business freely. That was the consensus at the Annual Regional Meeting and Conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry Eastern Region in Kolkata.

Based on CII Eastern Region’s theme in 2012-13 – Accelerating Growth through Reforms and Governance – the meeting drove home the point that the next generation of economic reforms is at the state level.

Shri Chatterjee Partha Chatterjee, Minister of Commerce & Industry and IT, West Bengal, agreed saying the West Bengal Government is also keen to drive the growth agenda through reforms and governance.

Shri Chatterjee described CII as a close partner in its pursuit to make West Bengal an industrially developed State and also appreciated it for regularly supplying it with inputs and recommendations. “We have accepted many of CII’s recommendations,” said Shri Chatterjee, who also sought to make clear the State Government’s policy on industrialisation. “Land will not be a problem”, the Minister assured potential investors.

Mr Ajay Shankar, Member Secretary, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, said India has the potential to move from the current 4th position to the second in manufacturing competitiveness. “For sustainable growth setting the right environment is necessary. “Inclusive growth can be attained through success in manufacturing growth. We must concentrate on labour intensive industries,” he said.

Mr Adi Godrej, President, CII, said Eastern India is fast emerging as an important hub of economic growth, but to sustain the growth process, emphasis needs to be laid on more reforms and improved governance.

“Compared with 9.3 per cent GDP growth in 2010-11, the 5% growth rate in 2012-13, is unacceptable. There has also been a contraction in investments with growth in fixed capital formation moderating over the past few years,” Mr Godrej also said.

“We are once again at the crossroads to choose between business as usual and 9% plus growth. I would choose the second path. Structural reforms at the central as well as the state level need to be undertaken.”

Mr S Gopalakrishnan, President Designate, CII, said reforms and governance are needed to put a country’s economy on a growth trajectory. Policy action in areas such as macro-economic stability and sustainability, market reform to increase competition, institutional reform and conflict resolution and social equity & inclusion help in sustaining India’s growth.