Kolkata: The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has lauded the West Bengal Budget 2026, describing it as a pragmatic, balanced, and growth-oriented budget that prioritises social welfare, infrastructure development, and industrial growth. Dr. Rajeev Singh, Director General of ICC, said the budget’s focus on education, healthcare, women-centric initiatives, and unemployment support would significantly contribute to grassroots development and stimulate demand in the state’s economy.
ICC particularly welcomed the government’s decision to digitise land records and review the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA), which has been a long-pending demand of industry stakeholders. According to the chamber, land availability has remained one of the key challenges for investors, and the proposed reforms could improve the ease of doing business in the state. The announcement of the West Bengal AI Impact Mission was also termed a progressive step towards embracing emerging technologies.
The industry body also praised the government’s infrastructure push, including the proposed deep-sea port at Dadanpatrabarh in Purba Medinipur and greenfield airports at Purulia, Malda, Cooch Behar, and Kalyani. Additionally, ICC welcomed plans to attract private investment in industrial development through the public-private partnership (PPP) model and provide incentives to sectors such as textiles, green energy, and semiconductors.
Highlighting the budget’s emphasis on rural development, Dr. Singh said initiatives such as crop insurance, cold storage infrastructure, and implementation of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) would rejuvenate the rural economy and strengthen the agricultural sector.
ICC also hailed the announcement of a Rs 100 crore Startup Fund, to be divided between incubation centres and venture capital funds, saying the initiative would provide a much-needed boost to entrepreneurship and help create a vibrant startup ecosystem in West Bengal.
Calling the budget a significant step towards accelerating the state’s economic growth, Dr. Singh congratulated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on the budget and expressed optimism that improved coordination with the Centre would create favourable conditions for Bengal’s long-term development.