West Bengal unveils new industrial policy to boost investment and jobs
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari introduced the West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy, 2026, to attract businesses through employment-linked incentives.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari unveiled the West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy, 2026, on Thursday to accelerate industrialisation and job creation. According to BusinessLine, the policy offers financial support of up to 120 per cent of a company's eligible fixed capital investment in plant and machinery, distributed over a maximum of ten years from the start of production.
The policy provides various benefits, including SGST reimbursement, electricity duty waivers, and stamp duty concessions. It also includes the reimbursement of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions, with higher assistance provided for women and transgender workers. For example, MSMEs will receive 100 per cent reimbursement of employer EPF contributions for women and transgender employees for 10 years, compared to 50 per cent for men.
Thrust sectors identified include semiconductors, electronics, green hydrogen, waste-to-energy, defence, and food and marine products. Strategic and mega projects are defined by investment size: projects exceeding Rs 500 crore where investors arrange their own land, or those exceeding Rs 1,000 crore if the government allots the land.
Adhikari stated that the BJP government is prepared to offer land to industrialists over the coming months to support investments worth approximately Rs 1 lakh crore. He noted that the government is working to build a land bank for industries and aims to create an industry-friendly environment.
Industry leaders, including Mehul Mohanka of CII Eastern Region and Rudra Chatterjee of Luxmi Group, welcomed the policy. They described the framework as pragmatic and noted that linking incentives to employment and economic activity could strengthen the state's industrial competitiveness.