It has been 13 years since Tata Motors wanted to put up a small car manufacturing plant in Singur, West Bengal, but had to pull out due to the anti-land acquisition movement. But now, it would seem that the West Bengal government is courting Tatas to return to the state and invest heavily. West Bengal's Industry and IT Minister Partha Chatterjee said that talks are on with the Tata for big-ticket investment and incentives to the business conglomerate will depend on the ability to generate employment. Job creation is seen as one of the big priorities of the state under the newly elected TMC government.
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Minister Chatterjee said that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wants two large manufacturing units to be set up by any prominent industrial house at the earliest. IN fact, Tata is said to have shown interest in setting up another Tata Centre in Kolkata to house its offices.
"We never had any enmity with the Tatas, neither we fought against them. They are one of the most respected and biggest business houses of this country and also abroad. You can''t blame the Tatas (for the Singur fiasco). "The problem was with the Left Front government and its forcible land acquisition policy. Tata group is always most welcome to come and invest in Bengal," Chatterjee, also the ruling TMC's secretary general, told PTI in an interview.
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"We already have the presence of Tata Metaliks, one Tata Centre besides the TCS here. But if they are willing to come up with big-ticket investments in manufacturing or other sectors, there is no problem. Our IT secretary recently told me they had shown interest in setting up a Tata Centre here," he said.
When asked whether the government will invite the Tatas to set up a manufacturing unit at Singur once again, the minister said, "Why would Tatas want to return to Singur? The land has already been given back to farmers. We are planning to come up with agro-based industries there as the area's economy is based on agriculture."
The re-elected TMC government has prioritised rapid industrialisation and employment generation, preferably from the iron and steel sector, where Tata has a big presence.
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Our priority right now would be to bring two big manufacturing companies which are job creators. I am speaking to various stakeholders, industry captains and officials about it. We are on the job," he said.
Chatterjee assured that the TMC will address the issue of land acquisition and related approvals along with incentives in a prompt manner. Of course, the TMC will continue of its policy of 'no forcible land acquisition'. The concerned business/industry will have to acquire land on its own, from the government's notified land bank and industrial parks.
