00:00Mamta Didi, we shall double this investment by the end of this decade.
00:07More importantly, our investments have created over 1 lakh direct jobs and spurred significant
00:15economic growth in West Bengal.
00:18Today, I want to make five specific commitments.
00:23First, digital infrastructure and services.
00:29Back in 2016, Jio opened its commercial operations from Calcutta, this very city, the City of
00:40Joy.
00:42This auspicious launch has proved Didi very lucky for us.
00:48It not only triggered a digital revolution across the whole of India.
00:53It transformed India into a digital superpower.
00:58Today, Jio is not just the number one digital services provider or the data company in India.
01:07It is the number one data company in the world.
01:11And this started from Calcutta.
01:17By the end of 2023, Jio completed the fastest transnational 5G rollout in the world.
01:28Jio's network now covers 100% of Bengal's population.
01:36I am particularly thankful to the people and our customers in Calcutta City, because they
01:45continue to maintain the record of the highest users of data in India on our Jio network.
01:53From the bottom of my heart, gratitude to each and every citizen of Calcutta who uses
02:01Jio.
02:02I am especially also pleased to state that Jio has enriched and transformed rural Bengal.
02:105G has enabled school children and college students to access high-speed internet for
02:16their studies.
02:18Jio is beaming the world of entertainment and sports into every home and every smartphone.
02:25As we speak, Jio is also building Bengal's first cable landing station in Diga, so that
02:34we have fiber connectivity directly into West Bengal.
02:38It will be commissioned early next year and will become a gateway for Bengal's digital
02:44leadership in Eastern India.
02:47I mentioned earlier about the revolutionary power of artificial intelligence.
02:52AI is indispensable for India's transformation into a deep tech nation with advanced manufacturing
03:01capabilities.
03:03Jio is currently building the world's best AI infrastructure in India.
03:08Data centers are at the heart of AI infrastructure.
03:13It gives me great pleasure to announce today that we have modified our data center in Calcutta
03:21to a state-of-the-art AI-ready data center, and that will be ready in the next nine months.
03:33Our fully indigenous 5G stack, coupled with rapid rollout of Jio Fiber and Air Fiber,
03:40will enable Bengal to use artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other disruptive technologies
03:47to modernize every sector of its economy.
03:51This transformation will unleash new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to millions
03:58in Bengal.
04:00Most importantly, I hope that Jio's AI infrastructure will attract the best minds in Bengal's diaspora
04:09to return to their state and start new enterprises and professions in their home state.
04:16Second, I turn to Reliance Retail.
04:20At present, we operate a network of over 1,300 stores in West Bengal, spanning an area of
04:28over 8 million square feet across 400-plus cities in West Bengal.
04:36We plan to expand our network to 1,700 stores in the next three years, operating 2.2 million
04:43square feet of warehouses in the state.
04:46Our new commerce and express delivery business has empowered lakhs of kiranas in the state
04:53by bringing them under the umbrella of modern retail.
04:58This has enabled them to increase their productivity and income and reap benefits of scale.
05:04Third, Reliance is deeply committed to encourage and expand Bengal's fabulous artisan economy.
05:14Swadesh, our new initiative, is supporting the priceless and incredibly diverse heritage
05:22of India's art and craft.
05:25It provides a platform for the best in Bengal to make their products available all over
05:33India and now all over the world.
05:37For example, we are selling through our Indian and global retail and Swadesh stores, which
05:45we will open in London, New York and Paris.
05:49We sell Bengal's finest Jamdani and Tant sarees, Baluchari, Murshidabad, Vishnupur
05:56and Tusar Shilk sarees, Kantha sarees, muslin as well as jute and khadi products made in
06:04Bengal.
06:06Similarly, in food products, we have partnered with several regional brands like Bisk Farm,
06:14Anmol Raja, City Gold, Prabhuji and Biswa Bangla, which are household names in Bengal,
06:21but I believe that they will be popular names across India and the world, providing all
06:28these brands unprecedented distribution in India and globally.
06:33Fourth, Reliance's new energy initiatives will begin its operation in the end of 2025.
06:42It is our endeavour to make India the world's biggest manufacturing hub for clean and green
06:49energy.
06:50In this, Reliance would like to contribute to Bengal's green economy.
06:55Our motto is Solar Bangla for a Sonar Bangla and we look forward to contributing with solar
07:03energy.
07:05Fifth, the Reliance Foundation is privileged to partner with the state government and serve
07:12in the Kalighat Temple renovation project.
07:15Mamta Didi, I have to thank you personally for giving us this opportunity to serve.
07:24Most of the excellent work is carried out by the state government and it has been done
07:29with the spirit of devotion.
07:32Our foundation remains committed to serving the needs of the state and contribute to various
07:38initiatives of the government in making the people's lives better.
07:43Dear friends, my family has a deep and reverential attachment to the Punya Bhoomi of Bengal.
07:51Our investment in Bengal is not only financial.
07:56More importantly, it's an emotional investment.
08:00Most of it led because of our respect for Didi.
08:05As one of the leading private sector employers in Bengal, today I have both a recommendation
08:13and an appeal to make to potential investors, to those who are present here today and those
08:20who are not.
08:24Reliance has had a wonderful experience of doing business in this state.
08:29Mamta Didi is one of the most ablest administrators in India.
08:35With Didi at the helm, the business community receives a red carpet treatment in Bengal.
08:43Bountiful Bengal beacons you.
08:46So friends, come to Bengal and script new and beautiful chapters in Bengal's growth
08:53story and the Honorable Chief Minister Mamta Didi, once more I assure you that Reliance
09:02will always be a reliable partner.
09:06Your Bengal is our Bengal.
09:09Please count on us.
09:10Dhanyavad Didi, Dhanyavad Calcutta.
09:13Thank you so very much.
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