Mamata Banerjee: Infosys' New Development Centre to Boost Investments in West Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated Infosys’ new ₹426-crore development centre in Kolkata on Wednesday, stating that the facility would attract more companies to invest in the state.

“This is a New Year gift to us. Infosys in Kolkata will create a new glory, and it will attract other companies to invest more and more for their development. Our government will provide all sorts of help you need,” Banerjee said at the inauguration ceremony.

She expressed pride in the state’s growing IT presence, mentioning major companies like TCS, Cognizant, IBM, Ericsson, Capgemini, Tech Mahindra, Accenture, and ITC Infotech, which already have a footprint in the region. “Our desire was that Infosys must come. Today, I can tell you that you have fulfilled our dream,” she added.

The state-of-the-art 320,000 sq ft development centre is located in Kolkata’s New Town and is set to house over 4,000 employees working in a hybrid model. The centre will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as cloud, AI, and digital across industries including manufacturing, logistics, financial services, energy, and utilities, Infosys said in a stock exchange filing.

Banerjee highlighted that West Bengal is a leading IT state and that the new campus will create more opportunities for the young, talented workforce. “We have the human capital. In terms of our talent pool, we are number one in India. Our boys and girls are working everywhere in the world. These have made Bengal the most favoured IT destination in India,” she said.

The Chief Minister also praised the state’s conducive environment for IT growth, citing its excellent work culture, low cost of operations, low attrition rates, and sufficient power supply. She emphasized that West Bengal has not faced a loss of man-days in the past 13 years, attributing this success to both the people of the state and the industry.

Banerjee also pointed to several policy frameworks in the IT sector, which she believes will continue to help companies thrive. “I am sure that Infosys and many others will be able to take advantage of these policies and infrastructure development,” she said.

Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO of Infosys, highlighted the centre’s role in advancing innovation and business growth. “This important investment in West Bengal advances our commitment to fostering innovation and empowering our workforce across India,” he said.

In related news, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, speaking in Kolkata last Sunday, emphasized the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), stating that technology could help bridge the gap between the rich and the less fortunate. Murthy also urged the youth to work hard and contribute to nation-building.

Banerjee also discussed the Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub in New Town, which is expected to attract ₹27,000 crore in investments and create 75,000 IT jobs. She revealed that 28 companies have already started operations in the hub, and 40 more companies have acquired land, with 11 entities building Data Centres.

HBL