Kolkata, Feb 19 (IANS): West Bengal's township policy has potential to attract Rs.76,000 crores investment of which already Rs.32,734 crore has been proposed for 15 townships, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said here Thursday.

"Twenty-two proposals for new townships with estimated direct and indirect investments amounting to about Rs.76,000 crore have been announced. Out of these, 15 specific proposals have been received with a total estimated direct investment amounting to about Rs. 32,734 croresa, Tripathi said in his customary annual address to the state assembly.

Bengal has planned to roll-out theme based townships in Rajarhat in Kolkata's north eastern outskirts and also in district towns like Bolpur, Asansol and Kalyani on subjects like culture, education and industry.

"After the roll-out of the plan of township development, we have received 15 proposals from private players showing interest," state's Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Debashis Sen said on a previous occasion.

Under the new township development policy on the public-private partnership (PPP) model, the state government will provide all facilities to private township developers.

However, a clause in the policy requires 25 percent of the allotted land to be reserved for the economically weaker section of the society and another 25 percent of the allotment to be used for generating employment in the area by developing commerce.

The governor also said Bengal has attracted investments worth Rs. 2,43,100 crores in the manufacturing, food processing, technology, infrastructure and tourism sectors which is expected "to flow in the years to come".

Besides, Tripathi said the state government is keen to promote the growth of small-scale ventures and has introduced a venture capital fund with a corpus of Rs. 200 crores for the sector.