Economy of Kolkata

JL Nehru Road, one of the CBD in Kolkata

Kolkata South Central CBD

Kolkata is the prime business, commercial and financial hub of eastern India and the main port of communication for the North-East Indian states, It is one of the most important Metro City of India. Recent estimates of Kolkata's economy have ranged from $60 to $150 billion (GDP adjusted for purchasing power parity) making it third most-productive metropolitan area in India, after Mumbai and Delhi. Kolkata is home to India's oldest, and also India's second-largest stock exchange company (bourse) – The Calcutta Stock Exchange. Kolkata is home to a major port, an international airport and many nationally and internationally reputed colleges and institutions aimed at supplying a highly skilled work force. Kolkata is also home to India's and South Asia's first metro railway service – Kolkata Metro.

There are a few of the oldest and front line banks and PSUs —such as UCO Bank, Allahabad Bank, United Bank of India and Geological Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and Tea Board of India—were founded and is headquartered in Kolkata. The oldest operating photographic studio in the world, Bourne & Shepherd, is also based in the city. The Standard Chartered Bank has a major branch in Kolkata. Kolkata is also the headquarters of Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India and many more organisations and companies. Moreover, due to the recent efforts of the Government of West Bengal as well as the people of kolkata the economy is looking to rise to even greater heights.

Economic history and recent developments

Tata Centre, JL Nehru Road

Kolkata was the capital of the British Indian Empire until 1911. Throughout British Raj, the city was a major port and commerce center in world economy. The Partition of India in 1947 was a major blow to the once flourishing economy during the world wars, it removed most of the hinterland, cutting down the supply of the human resource and a took away a huge portion of its market. Also the huge inflow of refugee from East Pakistan, Bihar, Jharkhand was a major drain to the city's infrastructure which was inadequate for the population boom. In the 1970s, the city saw a predominance of the trade-union movements which led the investors to flow out of the state to other newly emerging destinations in India. As the investors lacked trust in the newly formed communist government, the lack of capital destroyed most of its small-scale industries like foundrys and tool casting.

Since the late 1990s, Kolkata has managed to board the all-India bandwagon of buzzing economic sectors like information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO), along with a good pace of development matching all India average with the liberalization of the Indian economy. In 2009, Kolkata was ranked the hardest of 17 Indian cities in which to do business by the World Bank.

GDP of Kolkata

SBI Regional HQ, Strand Rd

According to Brookings Institution, Kolkata's GDP (PPP) on 2014 is $60.447 Billion, converted to GDP (nominal) of $15.90 Billion dollars with a nominal vs. PPP factor of 3.80. In another Pricewaterhouse Cooper's report, as of 2009, Kolkata's economic output as measured by gross domestic product by purchasing power parity as 104 billion US dollars (nominal $27.37 billion US dollars), and ranks third among South Asian cities, behind Mumbai and Delhi. However, As of 2010, Kolkata, with an estimated Gross domestic product (GDP) by purchasing power parity of 150 billion dollars, ranked third among South Asian cities, after Mumbai and Delhi. Kolkata's nominal GDP is expected to reach US$169 billion in 2030, with a per capita nominal GDP of US$7,400. In 2015, The Brookings Institution, a U.S. based think tank in collaboration with JPMorgan ranked Kolkata second among all Indian metros and 32nd among 300 major metropolitan economies of the world on overall economic performance for the year 2013-’14. According to this report, With annualised GDP per capita growth of 4.7% and employment growth of 2.5% Kolkata scored over every Indian city, except Delhi.

Major companies whose management operations are based in Kolkata

Some notable companies headquartered in Kolkata include ITC Limited, Britannia Industries, Exide Industries, Eveready Industries, CESC Limited, Rupa Industries, Lux Innerwears, Berger Paints, Birla Corporation, Peerless Group and Emami.

Among these three of the Forbes Global 2000 listed companies are headquartered in Kolkata, which includes ITC Limited, Allahabad Bank and UCO Bank. Kolkata is also the home to the HQs of the Indian Ordnance Factories, i.e. Ordnance Factories Board under Ministry of Defence (India), National Insurance Company, Coal India Limited, Damodar Valley Corporation, India Govt. Mint, Geological Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and the Tea Board of India.

Banking

HSBC in Kolkata

Kolkata is an important centre for banking. At present it is headquarters of three large nationalised banks Allahabad Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India and a private scheduled bank - Bandhan Bank. Several large financial companies and insurance companies are headquartered in Kolkata including Magma Fincorp, Bandhan Bank, Srei Infrastructure Finance, National Insurance Company. Many Indian banks, multi-national banks and the World Bank have located their Branch offices operations in the city. All main banks from India have their branch office here. Also big financial banks like Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of America and HSBC Bank have office and branches in Kolkata. Bandhan Financial, the largest Microfinance Group in India from Kolkata and 2nd largest of its kind in the World has got RBI nod to set up banks all over India. Bandhan Bank has its Head Office in Kolkata, which is the only bank after independence to be established in the city.

Ease of Doing Business in Kolkata

According to a World Bank Ease of Doing Business report in 2009, Kolkata ranked 17 out of 17 cities surveyed in India, while New Delhi was at 10th, and Bengaluru at 16th. In procedure to start a business, Kolkata ranked 10th. It is to be noted that Kolkata has a process to obtaining trade license in the city which is unique in India. This ranking however has become better as per recent estimates.Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is the central authority which deals with the processing of new trade licenses and the renewal of the same as well.

Gallery

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  Unitech InfoSpace Hi-Tech Park (New Town) Kolkata
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  Unitech InfoSpace
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  HIDCO Bhawan (Narkel Bagan) New Town Kolkata
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  DLF (IBM Pvt. Ltd.) IT Tech Park, New Town, Kolkata
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  Inside Wipro Technologies Saltlake City, Sector V, Kolkata
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  Wipro Technologies, Saltlake City, Sector V, Kolkata
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  College More, Saltlake City, Sector V, Kolkata
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  Technopolis, Saltlake City, Kolkata
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  Saltlake City, Major Economy Towers

See also

• HIDCO
• Bengal Renaissance
• Kolkata Metro
• Calcutta Stock Exchange Association Limited