What we need to do is daunting, yet exciting

Q You presented an optimistic budget.

- BY PREMA RAJARAM

We inherited a devastated Bengal, both in terms of the economy and the morale of the people. There was a sense of hopelessness that had gripped the whole state in terms of business. But beyond that, ordinary citizens felt that education had come to a standstill. No institution in the state was sacred any longer. For us, winning an election is one part, but the ultimate goal is the reconstruction of Bengal. That is why in my budget speech I called it a mission. We have to make it a mission; there is no alternative.

Every aspect of this society has to be re-nurtured and made fit for purpose—made fit for the 21st century. One part of India is racing ahead, while another part is just plodding along.

Q You are planning many things.

First, we have to remove a few roadblocks. The Urban Land Ceiling Act of 1976 was passed at a time when the legacy of India was moving in a very different direction. That has to go. We will also try to reclaim a lot of land that is lying vacant and wasted—old British industries that are gone or huge estates that are a shambles.

Land is a valuable commodity in West Bengal. Most land holdings are tiny fragments, the size of a handkerchief. They are unsustainable in terms of farming, yet they hold a certain emotional lineage for those who farm them. So, land acquisition is a bit difficult in this case. If there is land lying idle, we want to acquire it and make it useful.

We are also facing a skill deficit, partly because most of the cutting-edge talent has left the state due to a lack of opportunities. We have to draw them back. That is why we are planning an incubation fund, startup labs, and the AI mission.

Q And the single-window policy.