Singur dispute to send wrong signal : Chambers

Kolkata, Dec 7 (UNI) Expressing 'gave concern' at the recent developments over Tata Motors' small car project, captains of industries today apprehended that this would cause a 'severe set back' to industrial resurgence in West Bengal.

In a joint statement, eight chambers of commerce appealed to all sections of people to resolve the dispute over Singur with logic "that addresses both industry-centric imperatives and also has a human face." It also urged the people to raise their voice against "any attempt to destabilise the march towards rejuvenating" the state's industrial growth.

"The process of industrialisation can not be vitiated and the newly minted positive image of the state must be taken forward. We apprehend that the current disputes will send wrong signal among all sections of stakeholders and the state could receive a serious set back towards industrial regeneration," it said.

The statement was issued jointly by Bengal Chamber of Commerce&Industry, Bengal National Chamber of Commerce&Industry, Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Calcutta Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry (ER), Indian Chamber of Commerce, Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Oriental Chamber of Commerce.

The industrialists said the issues around the agricultural sector were being addressed and the momentum created by the post 1976 land reforms in the state needed to be driven on other fronts, including higher productivity, diversified farming and greater use of technology.

" The Chambers are highly conscious of the need to actualize broadbasing and honing of necessary skill sets through training and development of new competencies required in fresh avenues of alternative vocations," they said.

Acknowledging that there was 'enduring need' for balanced growth, the statement said the impetus must be given in the high contributing sectors of manufacturing, agriculture and services including the IT/ITES industry.

The state had been highly encouraged by the impressive growth in the services sector powered by the IT/ITES industry. "The latter, albeit, a slow starter on the domestic scene, has charted a high growth trajectory which will pitchfork it amongst the very top states in India." Similarly, the industrialists observed, that other constituents in the services sector, including real estate, retail, hospitality and healthcare had handsomely contributed to the service sector's multi-dimensional growth.

The statement said in the area of manufacturing, sustainable development demanded that assets were created on-the-ground. The prospect of major investments in the automobile sector had promised more rapid industrialisation in a shorter time span."The automobile industry, in particular, has -the world over- exhibited the ability to create immense scope for ancillarisation and employment. In India, the growth of this sector was targetted to far outstrip that of the national GDP", it said.

UNI KDG PC/DB2039