The Hindu : National : Globalisation should not be one-way traffic: Buddhadeb

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Globalisation should not be one-way traffic: Buddhadeb

Special Correspondent

Kolkata: Globalisation cannot be halted but it should not be a one-way traffic either, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said.

Inaugurating the 21st Industrial India Trade Fair, he said that the main architects of globalisation were today raising doubts about it. “If globalisation means only developed countries will benefit from it, then we need to give a serious thought to it,” he said. The fair, in which seven overseas countries were participating, is organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the West Bengal government. It is now the second largest industrial fair in India.

Pointing out that regional cooperation was becoming very important for the world economy, Mr. Bhattacharjee said that if SAARC could improve in the way ASEAN had evolved then it would benefit all the member countries. He noted in this context that SAARC was still failing to come out with concrete proposals to improve the quality of life of its member countries.

Turning to India, he said that if the country is to achieve the targeted growth rate of 10 per cent in the 11th Plan period then it would have to improve infrastructure. “Investment in this sector has to increase,” he said, especially if India is to compete with China. He said that West Bengal was trying to improve infrastructure and the situation in the State was changing for the better.

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