Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio to invest over Rs 1,000 crore in West Bengal

Reliance Jio will invest more than Rs 1,000 crore to set up a cable landing station in Digha, West Bengal, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

She added that the project will boost West Bengal's sub-sea broadband connectivity links with European and Asian markets thereby helping the state to attract tech investments, and in turn, create jobs.

Banerjee also announced that her government will also build a deep-sea port near the proposed site of the Digha landing station, adding that the state will come up with a broadband policy soon.

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Announcing the state government's decision, following a cabinet meeting at the state secretariat on Wednesday, the chief minister stated that "Reliance Jio has agreed to set up a cable landing station in Digha, and will invest over Rs 1,000 crore."

Sub-sea cables provide crucial global telecommunication links between countries. These systems, laid on the ocean floor, stretch between land-based stations in several nations.

The landing station, once it becomes operational, is expected to transform West Bengal's IT and ITeS sectors, attracting big-ticket investments, and further generating employment.

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Banerjee also said that the state government will also construct the Tajpur deep sea port for which it had "requested the Centre for a joint project".

However, the proposal did not materialise, thus the state "decided to go ahead with the project with another partner that would be decided through a tender," she added.