Kolkata: The entire country loves Sourav Ganguly as a cricketer. They are doing well, but many questions are being raised regarding their entry into the business and the delay in starting it. Sourav Ganguly is setting up a steel plant in Garbeta of West Medinipur district. Many dates have come and passed regarding its launch. Because of this many types of questions are being raised.
Former Indian captain of Team India, Sourav Ganguly, has for the first time expressed his views in detail on the questions being raised regarding the proposed factory in Shalbani. In a podcast interview, he clearly said that any big industrial project takes time to complete. He said that even though many types of criticism are being received, instead of paying attention to them, he is focusing on his shortcomings.
Sourav Ganguly’s steel plant is in Jhargram, not Shalbani.
According to the former captain of Team India, this project is not being developed in Shalbani but in Jhargram and it is expected to be completed within the next one year. He said that building a factory is a long process, in which land, government approvals, environmental clearances and many other formalities have to be completed.
‘Setting up a factory is not as easy as buying a flat’
Responding to the critics, Ganguly said that building a factory is not as easy as buying a flat, where you get ownership rights immediately by paying money. Any industrial project may take three to four years to take shape. He also clarified that this project is being developed in partnership, so the entire responsibility for it is not his alone. However, he expressed confidence that this project will prove beneficial for West Bengal. Along with this, he also expressed his desire to work on school and other social projects in the future and said that it is not his intention to leave the work started incomplete.
Sourav Ganguly had asked for 18-20 months time for the steel plant.
Earlier in February 2025, there was news that the steel plant being started in partnership with Sourav Ganguly at Garbeta in West Medinipur district could become operational in the next 18-20 months. An official was quoted as saying that an investment of Rs 2,500 crore is expected to be made in this much talked about project to set up a steel plant with 0.8 million tonne per annum (MTPA) capacity.
During that time Sourav Ganguly had said in a program – ‘We are building a steel plant. But the problem is that everyone expects it to be ready in two months. But in reality this does not happen. Hopefully we will start operations in the next 18-20 months. He had said, ‘This will be our third and largest plant. Many clearances are required, including environmental, pollution and government approvals, which takes time. This project was initially proposed in Salboni, but it was not completed and now the company has acquired land in Garbeta, about 26 km from Salboni.
Ganguly had first announced the steel project during Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Spain in 2023. Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the 2025 Global Investment Summit, had said on a lighter note that Ganguly was also turning into an industrialist by planning a steel plant in the state.
