West Bengal may have another opportunity to fulfil its potential—here’s what it needs to do

The next key pillar is education and skills. Bengal has a good education legacy, but the current outcomes are patchy. Schooling and employability are weakly linked, especially for first-generation learners. A focus on vocational training, aligned to the needs of industry, can unlock the potential of its large aspirer segment. It’s not only an economic imperative but a social one. Upward mobility should be more predictable and less tied to geography or social background.

Healthcare is another area where we need to move from incremental change to systemic reform. The pandemic brought out the strengths and weaknesses of public health systems across India. In West Bengal, improving access to primary healthcare, enhancing district-level facilities and investing in preventive care can greatly improve quality of life. Improving health outcomes will also raise productivity.

Industrial policy has long been a contentious issue in the state and a pragmatic reset is needed. Investment has been deterred by land acquisition conflicts and regulatory uncertainty, with their baggage of history. But the new national and global context that is emerging, with supply chain reconfigurations, offers a new chance.

West Bengal’s strategic advantage lies in its location, sharing borders with several countries and being a gateway to the Northeast. To tap this, we need clear policies, simplified approvals and a partnership mindset with industry. You cannot grow without private investment and trust is the currency of that.