WB CM to send officials to Singapore for hands-on experience August 21, 2014 A foundation course in administration at the IAS training institute in Mussoorie or even subsequent career development courses may not be sufficient for bureaucrats in Bengal. In a flash of inspiration, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday suggested that they get hands-on experience in Singapore for its seamless, quick and delivery-oriented public management. The Chief Ministers inspiration is not without reason - for seven consecutive years World Bank had ranked Singapore first globally for ease of doing business. Our government officials will come to Singapore and take training from the Singapore public administration.This country has really good public administration, the CM said at an investors meet at Singapore. The island town has impressed Ms Mamata Banerjee with its per severance and discipline.Singapore is a beautiful country and so disciplined. All the boys and girls are soft spoken, sober, and equally hard working. This is something one should learn from them, the CM -herself a stickler for discipline -gushed. She wants to emulate the work culture that has attracted all top global brands to Singapore.She has even asked West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) to set up a nodal office in Singapore to attract investment to Bengal. A special officer will be stationed here, she said. Mamata has even named the proposed Singapore-Bengal business centre after modern Singapores architect Lee Kuan Wu, only a day after announcing the decision to set up a business facilitation hub. I have already extended my invitation to Prime Minister L H Loong to grace the inauguration of the centre, Mamata said. Apart from big brands, the Chief Minister made a specific request for investment in the entertainment industry - close to her heart -apart from tourism, IT and ITES, logistics and related areas where Singapore has a global presence. She also urged big Singapore-based investment firms to invest in Bengal. While talking business and money, Mamata didnt lose sight of Bengals Singapore connect. Calling her Singapore trip a pilgrimage, Mamata said: Long years ago, Subhas Chandra Bose - we fondly called him Netaji - a brave and heroic son of Mother India established Indian National Army here in Singapore and gave his clarion call Delhi Chalo. Mamata pointed out that Singapore is only 4 hours from Kolkata, which is the closest Indian metropolis to Singapore. This could be the gateway of India for you, she said. Industrialists shared their experiences to sell the Bengal dream. Executive director of the $10 billion ITC Ltd K Grant said their company has been in Bengal for 104 years and will remain in the state for the next 100 years. Umesh Chowdhary , MD of Titagarh Wagons, said the administration is very supportive and has always stood beside us. RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka pointed out that he has not faced a single man-days loss in the last few years. Prasoon Mukherjee, chairman of Singapore-based Universal Success, who has large exposure in Bengal, said that Mamata impressed the industry captains in Singapore with her candid and straight-forward approach. CEO of Changi International Lim Liang Song indicated that the firms experience in Bengal is better than in Russia and Brazil. TIL vice-chairman and CII national president elect Sumit Mazumdar pointed out that Bengal could be a manufacturing hub for entire South-East Asia. The article was first published in The Times of India on August 21, 2014
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:18:21 +0000