The state's home minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya said a seven-member team from McKinsey will sit at West Bengal Industrial Development Corp's Shilpabandu office for one year helping its staff to streamline procedures, identify priority sectors and advise the government.

"WBIDC has appointed McKinsey & Co permanently for streamlining the activities of Shilpabandhu," Bhattacharya told at the 112th annual general meeting of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which mainly represents the small scale industry. Later, he told The Financial Express that the initial agreement with McKinsey was signed just before the Pujas, about two weeks ago and the details will be finalised soon.

"A seven member team will be based in the premises of WBIDC to strengthen the activities of the Shilpabandhu. The team will appraise projects and liaise with foreign investors," Bhattacharya said.

WBIDC managing director DP Patra said that the agreement will be of one and may be renewed later. "The McKinsey team will also identify three to four priority sectors of the state and will advise the government the necessary steps that will attract more investments into those areas," Patra said.Earlier, chief minister Jyoti Basu criticised the r uling Bharatiya Janata Party for its "doublespeak". He said the Prime Minister Atal Vehari Vajpayee's "hard decisions" will affect the masses. He sought the help of the chambers of commerce to reopen the sick industries of the state.

Bhattacharya, seen as one of the contenders for the chief minister's post after Basu, took pride in the agreement with McKinsey. He said: "This is a major achievement for us. A number of leading industrial states have tried to rope in McKinsey but they failed."

The home minister also said that the state government will introduce information technology in its different activities. "Infotech will introduced soon and it will be right up to district level," Bhattacharya said.