Buddha yields to Mamata's demands???

Kolkata, Aug 27: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee claims West Bengal has given the best compensation package in India for Singur area in the wake of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee forcing the government for a better package.

For instance, for every acre of single-crop land bought in Singur the West Bengal government paid almost Rs 8 and a half lakhs and upto Rs 12 Lakh for each acre of multi crop land. Whereas in the neighbouring state of Orissa the maximum compensation offered was Rs two lakh per acre in the case of the Kalinganagar Tata steel project.

The government claims the rehabilitation scheme is also catering to nearly 3000 employable persons from the acquired land area.

"When the land acquisition notice was issued at that time there was an advertisement and we requested all those land losers to register their names who are employable," West Bengal Commerce&Industries Minister Nirupam Sen said.

As a result, nearly 3000 people have registered their names in the WBIDC camp. Out of that, more than 500 are women and more than that 500 are agricultural people and agricultural laborers.

Their qualifications have been categorised and they are being provided with different kinds of training so that their skill upgradation can take place

But Mamata is neither impressed with the statistics nor the rehabilitation scheme.

However, her demand that 400 acres should be returned could perhaps scuttle the Nano project. That's because this land is not contiguous.

Buddha yields??? May offer 'economic package'

Underlining that he was committed to the reforms that he has been pushing in his state, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee indicated that he"s ready with an economic 'package' for those farmers of Singur whose refusal to accept land compensation has put a cloud over the Tata Motors" Nano plant.

“There are some genuine farmers who still do not want to give their land," Bhattacharjee told members of Assocham and local chambers. “The government has a moral responsibility for them. The government is ready with a package for them and we are ready to discuss that package."

Sources said the 'package' would include enhanced financial compensation for Singur farmers. It would benefit all landlosers, those who have accepted their compensation cheques and those who haven"t and is said to cost an extra Rs 30-40 crore. The CM said the state had deposited the unclaimed compensation amount estimated at about Rs 28 crore with the Calcutta High Court.

OneIndia News