Majority in Bengal Supports Nano Project

Posted on September 4, 2008. Filed under: Business, Politics | Tags: Abhirup Sarkar, Assocham, Assocham Study, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Farmer suicide, Farmer's agitation, Government, industrialization, Jindal, Kharagpur, Majority in favour of Tata, Mamata Banerjee, Nano Project, Radial Tyre, Ratan Tata, Singur, Singur Agitation, Singur Plant, State, Study, Tata Motors official, Tata Nano Plant, Tata Shutdown, Tatas exit, Tatas pullout, TMC, Tractors India Limited, Trinamool Chief, WB, West Bengal |

In two years since the land acquisition movement rocked Singur; the Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee had come to know well that there were people from among her own rank and file, who clutched on to the Nano Plant in Singur for their livelihood and prosperity. These TMC supporters have now turned against her. TMC dominated syndicate that used to supply construction material to the Nano factory and other allied factories in Singur have turned against Mamata Banerjee. All this while Trinamool Chief was talking about land losers of the disputed area, but did not thought for the majority of land owners who willingly gave 600 acres of land. Now these people are frustrated and one of them has committed suicide.

In a study by ASSOCHAM covering 2000 people in 12 districts of the state of West Bengal, it was found that around 1700 people which accounts to about 85 % of the surveyed population supports Nano Project in Singur. They were of the opinion that Tata should be persuaded to stay put at Singur as their exit could stop the industrialization of the State. ASSOCHAM study also revealed that 1400 people i.e. 70 % held that the current problem faced by the small car project was due to it’s over politicization. On the issue of offering a compensation package to affected land losers of the controversial 400 acres at the Nano Plant site, over 60 % respondents suggested that a tripartite meeting of land losers, local administration and Tata Motors officials should be held immediately to redesign the compensation package for all land losers. Over 60% of survey participants said that the Tata should shell out “a little more from their kitty” to remove dissatisfaction and enable Tata Motors to execute the project as scheduled.

Brand Bengal is set to suffer huge loss if Tata’s ultimately decides to pullout from Singur and relocate their Nano factory outside West Bengal. There are many automobile projects that will be in danger in case Tata pulls out. These projects include Tractors India Limited and Radial Tyres. Tractors India Limited has sought 50 acres at Kharagpur for its Rs. 5000 million crane manufacturing unit and Radial Tyres has sought 400 acres at Kharagpur for its Rs. 4000 million project. Even Jindal, which has proposed to invest Rs.350, 000 million has expressed uncertainties after Mamata Banerjee started agitation in Singur. Abhirup Sarkar, professor of economics, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) said, “We will lose in terms investments. But what about the other related losses? For instance, the aspiring middle class will lose. So will the farmer.”

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