Within a week West Bengal will have a landmark of Industrialisation. Haldia Petrochemicals Project of more than Rs. 5000 crore is going to be inaugurated on 2^nd April 2000. This project is carrying the history of movement and initiative. This project is carrying the future of our state. Haldia Petrochemicals Project has been actually initiated in the year 1978. During the 1^st Left Front Government Chief Minister Jyoti Basu had a meeting with the then Petrochem Minister H.N. Bahuguna for issuing the letter of intent for Haldia Petrochem. Since 1979 to 1999, during the 20 years of period the ruling party at the centre has been changed for various times. The attitude of Government of India has also been changed towards West Bengal Govt. in accordance with the change of ruling party at centre. State Govt. has faced lot of troubles to establish the project. Congress Govt. at the centre had delayed in giving the permission assistance for the project. People of West Bengal have organised statewide campaign in support of this project. State govt. has tried their best to get the financial partner from R.P. Goenka, Darbari Seth, Ratan Tata to Purnendu Chatterjee finally state govt. Tata group and Dr. Purnendu Chatterjee has established the project in collaboration with financial institutions. It has already started the trial run without having loss of mandays during construction period. HPL has a vast opportunity of opening up down stream units and related employment. It will be a milestone of industrialisations in West Bengal in the new century. People of West Bengal has a high hope that the HPL will lead the future industrialisation of the state with a boost to economy of West Bengal.

27th March, 2000.