Ratan Tata met Bengal’s Industry Minister over Singur project

Ratan TataKolkata, Aug 22: Commerce and Industries Minister of West Bengal Nirupam Sen and the Chairman of the TATA group Ratan Tata held talks last night over TATA Motor’s small car plant at Singur.

Sen apprised Tata on the recent talks between the State Government and the Opposition Trinamool Congress party to resolve the Singur land impasse.

“Tata expressed concern over the recent activities at Singur and the proposed indefinite agitation of the Trinamool Congress demanding immediate return of 400 acres of land to farmers acquired for ancilliary industries of the TATA group,” Sen told reporters after the meeting.

Earlier, the Trinamool Congress had said that it would go ahead with the indefinite dharna near the Tata Motors'' small car plant from Sunday, following its inconclusive talks with the State Government on the land issue.

The party, however, maintained that it was open to dialogue. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said her party had already asked the State Government to return the land to unwilling farmers.

“I hope the Government will show goodwill, ” she added.

Tata Motors started to build its factory in Singur in January 2007 to make the world''''s cheapest car.

The much awaited one-lakh rupee car, Nano, was unveiled by Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata in New Delhi in January this year, and it is likely to hit roads by October.

But the project, which has become a test case for the ruling Communist party in the State, has been opposed by some farmers who claim that the Government took their land against their will.

There have been regular protests in West Bengal this year over the acquisition of agriculture land for setting up industries. (ANI)

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