Reliance Jio Infocomm will shortly manufacture mobile phones and set top boxes in West Bengal, Mukesh Ambani, chairman, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) said.
“We will set up a next generation electronics manufacturing facility that will roll out mobile phones and set top boxes in the state,” said Ambani, signalling definite steps for Jio to ring in the digital revolution in West Bengal and across India. Ambani did not share investment details regarding the proposed electronics manufacturing unit.He was speaking at Bengal Global Business Summit on Tuesday.
Ambani said Reliance “would also invest an additional Rs 5,000 crore “ in Jio and the entire digital ecosystem, retail and petro-retail businesses” in the next few years West Bengal. Reliance, he said, is already one of the biggest investors in West Bengal, having already pumped in over Rs 15,000 crore in the state, but these have been primarily Jio-related.
In the immediate term, Jio, he said, is expediting steps to ensure 100 percent 4G coverage in West Bengal by December 2018. Jio, he said, is also taking steps to make the JioPhone “available on prioritised basis” for the people of West Bengal, although he did not share details.
Only 30 percent of mobile devices comprise 4G phones in the country, and Jio will take steps to boost 4G handset penetration with the JioPhone.
Jio, he said, would shortly roll out optic fibre networks across the state, with immediate plans to connect all schools, universities and hospitals in West Bengal. The telecom unit of RIL, he said, would also set up digital service centres in the state to galvanise e-commerce activity and support SMEs.
Ambani reiterated that West Bengal remained the No1 state nationally in terms of “ease of business”. “I’m happy to note that under Mamata didi ‘s leadership, West Bengal is now Best Bengal and Reliance will be closely involved in the state’s business transformation,” said Ambani.
He added that Reliance Industries would work closely with West Bengal government to nurture top soccer talent in the state.
