West Bengal BJP government is delivering on ‘Sonar Bangla’ promise, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the foundation stone laying of the world’s largest curd plant under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project at the New Town Convention Center in Kolkata on July 19, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal is fulfilling the promise of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal), Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday (July 19, 2026). The minister virtually laid the foundation stone of Amul’s ₹700 crore dairy project at Sankrail in Howrah.

“I have come to tell the people of West Bengal that whatever we promised during the elections, the government is fulfilling the promise of ‘Sonar Bangla’ on the spot,” the minister said.

During the campaign for the 2026 assembly elections, the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Shah, talked about returning West Bengal to its golden age.

Tracing the political history of West Bengal, Mr. Shah said the idea of ​​’Sonar Bangla’ envisioned by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore was destroyed by the previous communist regimes and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.

The change brought about by the people of West Bengal was unlike any political change that had taken place since independence in any state of the country, the home minister said.

​Take East: On the BJP Government in West Bengal

Mr. Shah, who was on a three-day visit to the state, said the central and state governments had held detailed discussions on governance and security. “We discussed and took several steps to stop infiltration, strengthen law and order and improve women’s safety,” he said.

Amul has laid the foundation stone for the country’s largest yogurt manufacturing project and the yogurt will be produced by processing 10 million liters of milk, Mr. Shah said.

“Small dairy farmers will benefit. I have told the Chief Minister (Suvendu Adhikari) to give two 15-acre plots (to Amul). Then the entire milk production system in eastern India will be from here,” he said.

Mr Adhikari took a dig at former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who said she would not allow West Bengal to turn into Gujarat.

“Those who said they will not allow Bengal to become Gujarat are watching TV from home today. Amul is investing ₹ 700 crore in the development of West Bengal today,” Mr Adhikari said.

Urging the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited to set up two ice cream factories, one in South Bengal and the other in North Bengal, the Chief Minister said his government would provide 15 acres of land for setting up the factories.

State Industries Minister Tapas Roy, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta, Cooperatives Minister Ashok Kirtania, Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee and BJP State President and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya were present on the occasion of the virtual foundation stone laying of the Amul project.

This is the third major investment announced since the BJP government came to power in West Bengal. Lux Cozi recently laid the foundation stone for a mega manufacturing center at Dankuni with a planned investment of ₹600 crore. Shyam Steel Group also announced a project at its Mejia plant in Bankura district with a total investment of ₹15,000 crore.

Published – 19 Jul 2026 23:25 IST