In order to make West Bengal globally relevant, businesses should identify sectors and manufacture products in which the state already has advantages and enjoys global competitiveness.
Agro-based industrialisation could be one such area where the state could lead, explained Partha Ghosh, chairperson Boston Pledge, while addressing an interactive session on 'How to mark West Bengal Global' organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce.
Ghosh had suggested this growth over a decade ago in a detailed two-volume report to the state but the government had chosen to ignore it then.
Ghosh stressed on perfection as a core competency in all fields in which the state wanted to lead.
The next step would be to know its competitors.
"Bengal needs to benchmark itself vis-à-vis competitors and market this in every interface with consumers," he added.
Ghosh pointed out that some products manufactured in the state were not only poorer in quality to international ones but were inferior in comparison to other states too.
"This needs to be corrected," he added.
"Innovation was also another factor that Bengal needs to adopt. Businesses should try and understand customers and deliver and package products the way they want it to be delivered," he added.
Professionalism in Bengal had to be built up if the state had to emerge a global player.
The agro based industry in the state provided huge opportunity as it had unique advantages.
The state should take the initiative to nurture the sector into a global sector if the state had to be projected globally.
Bio-diversity was one advantage that the state could exploit in its attempt to become a global player.
Talking about the education system of the state, Ghosh alleged the institutes of repute in West Bengal were no more producing excellent candidates but were just acting as a selection mechanism.
They appeared to do did little to shape candidates for the future.
"These institutes need to be resurrected," he claimed.
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