WB govt hopeful of handing over Singur land to Tata in a fortnight

Haldia, Oct 31 (UNI) The West Bengal government today hoped that it would be able to hand over land in Singur to Tata Motors for its small car project within a fortnight.

Talking to reporters in the sidelines of brick laying ceremony of Hoogly Met Coke and Power Company Ltd, state Commerce and Industries Minister Nirupam Sen said that the compensation issue is expected to be settled within a week's time.

Asked whether land would be handed over within a fortnight, he said in affirmation.

The state government had also announced recently that the nearly 1,000 acres required by Tata Motors to set up its small car project at Singur have been acquired.

The government had declared that they were now almost ready to give possession of the land to the Tatas for setting up the Rs 1000 crore project, which would manufacture its Rs one lakh car. The cars are scheduled to roll out in 2008.

Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant had earlier given an end-of-the-year deadline to the state government for the land acquisition.

Earlier speaking on the ocassion, Mr Sen said, ''Development cannot only be achieved through agricultural growth only and there is need for industrialisaion for overall growth.'' He cited the example of China which also transformed from agriculture to industrialisation for growth.

He said agriculture cannot alone provide the kind of employment which is required for development.

Mr Sen added that the government had started identifying land for the proposed chemical and multi-product special economic zones (SEZs) at Haldia.

"The acquisition of land for SEZs will begin soon," he said.

UNI TJP SJC RN1839