West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy 2026: Up to 120% Assistance for Industries, 100% EPF Support for Women

The West Bengal government has unveiled a new industrial policy that offers industries financial assistance of up to 120 per cent of their eligible investment in plant and machinery. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched the West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy 2026 at an event in New Town, Kolkata, on Thursday, 5 November 2026. The policy is deemed to have been in force from 9 May 2026, the day the Bharatiya Janata Party government took charge in the state. It is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and comes after the state went without a new industrial policy.

The policy links assistance to fixed capital investment. Ordinary manufacturing units can receive assistance of up to 100 per cent of their eligible fixed capital investment. The ceiling rises to 110 per cent for units in thrust sectors or priority areas, and to 120 per cent for projects that fall in both categories. The assistance is paid over 10 years from the start of production. The focus sectors are manufacturing, advanced technology, clean energy, defence, semiconductors and electric mobility. The government says the policy is aimed at attracting investment that creates jobs, adds value and reaches every district, and it plans to create land banks and facilitate investments of around Rs 1 lakh crore in the coming months. The state government has saved Rs 30,000 crore to implement the policy.

A standout feature is the employment-linked support for women and transgender workers. In micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the state will reimburse 100 per cent of the employer’s contribution to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for women and transgender employees for 10 years, against 50 per cent for men. In service units with more than 200 employees, women get 75 per cent reimbursement and men 50 per cent for five years. Large units and mega projects that create at least 200 jobs in priority areas, or 400 jobs elsewhere, get 50 per cent EPF reimbursement for five years. The policy also offers SGST-linked assistance, reimbursement of electricity duty for five years, stamp duty relief, research and development support, loan-interest assistance for MSMEs, and grants for working women’s hostels. Green power sourced within the state gets a complete waiver of cross-subsidy and additional surcharge until March 2030.

The Chief Minister said the government would honour the pending incentives of about Rs 50,000 crore left over from the previous government, with dignity, though fixing a timeline would take some time. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said the government was creating an escrow arrangement and ring-fencing resources so investors can trust that promised incentives will be paid. The policy was prepared after studying the industrial policies of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra over four years. To help investors, a dedicated ‘buddy representative’ will stay with each project from its start to grounding, and an industry helpline has already been started. The government will also help with land purchase, land pooling and development, and says adequate land is available for the short and medium term.

Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did the West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy 2026 come into force? — It was launched on 5 November 2026 and is deemed in force from 9 May 2026.
2. How much assistance can an industry get? — Up to 100 per cent of eligible fixed capital investment for ordinary units, 110 per cent for thrust-sector or priority-area units, and 120 per cent for units in both categories.
3. What EPF support is offered for women employees? — In MSMEs, the state reimburses 100 per cent of the employer’s EPF contribution for women and transgender employees for 10 years.
4. What is the pending incentives backlog? — About Rs 50,000 crore of incentives from the previous government is pending; the Chief Minister has said it will be honoured.

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