Unusually Kind

meetings, an agreement was finally reached on 8th October, and the two factories re-opened on the 9th. The,, strike at the other two establishments was withdrawn from that date. As I have said before, the profit for the year reflects the very serious impact of these events. I would like to believe that the workmen realise that until and unless they identify themselves with the prosperity of the Company, their earnings and employment potential must necessarily be seriously affected amndin the Iong run be in jeopardy, lt is most unfortunate that West Bengal, which has suffered a severe recession in 1966 and 1967, and which should now he recovering from it as arc other parts of our country, has been unable to register anything like the industrial growth rate that many other comparable States have been able to achieve. There is virtually no capital formation and reports continue to be heard of flight of capital. This must, in a large measure, be attributed to the most unsatisfactory industrial relations climate, militant trade unionism, and the law and order problem in the State. If this declining trend in industrial investment continues, it will have the most serious repercussions not only on the economy of the State but that of the whole country. It the industrial climate improves and the law and order situation is what one normally expects in any well administered State, there is no reason why West Bengal should lag behind other parts of India in industrial growth and progress.