Punjab to approach Tata for Nano project

Hoshiarpur, Oct 5 (UNI) Punjab government will soon approach the Chief of Tata's group of Industries Ratan Tata for installing the prestigious project of Rs 1500 crore manufacturing unit of much touted Rs one lakh Nano car, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said.

''If he agrees with the proposal, the state government would provide all possible help for its early installation so that it could produce Nano car within its scheduled time,'' Mr Badal said in a press conference here this afternoon.

Before setting up the Nano car unit at Singur (West Bengal), the management of Tata group of Industries had approached the last Congress government for installing the ambitious project in Punjab, he said.

''Instead of assuring all possible help for getting it installed, Capt Amrinder Singh's government allegedly discouraged the management resulting in shifting the unit to Singur,'' he said.

Mr Badal claimed that all the people and farmers, lands of whom had been acquired for various projects in state were fully satisfied as they had been given 30 per cent extra price of their lands compared with the existing market rates.

Besides, they were being given Rs two lakh for each acre and maximum Rs three lakh extra as a 'Mazara' (tillers) allowance. They were also exempted from the stamp duty in case of purchasing new land in lieu of their acquired plot.

Condemning Capt Amarinder Singh for his alleged anti-Punjab attitude, the CM claimed that the Capt had tried to shut the Rs 16000 crore oil refinery project at Bhatinda which the earlier SAD government had got sanctioned with much effort.

''If this prestigious project would have been installed in state it would have proved to be a backbone for the overall development of Punjab,'' Mr Badal said.

UNI XC JN RJ RAI2005