Bengal to acquire 37,000 acres for various projects

Kolkata, Jun 1 (UNI) The West Bengal government has given the final go-ahead for acquisition of around 37,000 acres of land for nine projects, including land for setting up of Tata's small car unit at Singur in Hoogly district.

After the first state cabinet meeting yesterday, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said, ''There are almost eight to nine projects in different parts of the state at Kharagpur, Singur, Sankrail and Dankuni among others.'' Official sources said it was decided in yesterday's meeting that land for these projects would be acquired and a standard package for rehabilitation would be offered to the displaced.

The chief minister said the government would try to avoid acquisition of agricultural lands.

The government would be circulating brochures among the ministers and make public the nature of the land being acquired over the next six months.

Left partners said in the meeting that the people have the right to know which are farmlands and the crops grown there as well as which are marshy lands.

UNI JYN PL MP BD1838