WB Govt concerned about employment than industrialists

Kolkata, Sep 27 (UNI) Making a fervent appeal in support of industrialisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today asserted that his government was working for the welfare of the state's youth rather than for the benefit of individual industrialists.

Addressing the 13th All-India Conference of the SFI, the student wing of the CPI (M), the Chief Minister said, ''We are not concerned about who sets up industries in Bengal, whether it be Tata or Birla.

We are also not bothered about the price of the Tata Motors small car. What is more important for us is that more than 6,000 youths will get employment if the Nano car factory materialises in Singur.'' Mr Bhattacharjee said he had written to Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata yesterday asking him not to quit Singur.

''Mr Tata has promised to discuss the issue with the state government. However, he also explained about his constraints. I have assured him full cooperation and all-out efforts from the government side to set up the factory,'' he said.

In a last ditch effort to retain the Nano project in West Bengal, the state government has been trying to persuade the Tata Motors officials not to say good bye to Singur because of the political stalemate.

The government also promised all administrative support to Tata Motors for resuming work which remained suspended for nearly for a month following sustained agitation by the Trinamool Congress-led opposition demanding a large chunk of land to be returned to the land losers.

However, Industry Minister Nirupam Sen informed that no official confirmation had yet been received from the Tatas about the meeting with the state government.

''The Opposition has been threatening and intimidating the workers at the Nano car factory since the past several days. In the face of such obstruction of work, it will be impossible to retain the small car project in Singur,'' he said.

''All those who are obstructing this project will have to take the responsibility of pushing back West Bengal. The Opposition is deceiving the people of the state in order to gain political mileage out of the issue,'' he thundered.

The Chief Minister argued that along with agriculture, industrialisation was very important for development.

He claimed that the agricultural sector in the state was highly developed owing to the initiatives taken by the Left Front government.

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