Suvendu Adhikari vows Tata Group’s return to Bengal; unveils jobs, industry push

Without going into specifics, Adhikari said Tata Group would return to West Bengal under his government. The conglomerate had exited the state in 2008 after the Singur agitation led by then Opposition leader Mamata Banerjee, forcing Tata Motors to relocate its Nano plant to Gujarat.

“I am not saying anything in detail about Singur and Tata at this moment, but we will definitely bring Tata back to the state. The previous government returned the ownership of the Singur land to the farmers, but no farming is taking place there now. Because iron rods and cement are mixed into the soil, the character of the land has been completely changed,” he said.

He said the state would utilise the Land Acquisition Act of 1984 to procure land transparently. “West Bengal will now become employment-oriented and industry-friendly. The government is purchasing land in compliance with the Land Acquisition Act. The people of West Bengal want to be free from unemployment. The new government will prove that industries can be brought in without opening fire like in Nandigram,” he added.

To boost employment, Adhikari said he has urged the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to establish new factories or expand opportunities at the existing railway workshops in Kharagpur and Kanchrapara.

Three-tiered approach

The Bengal chief minister said a high-level screening committee, headed by the state industry secretary, has been set up to evaluate incoming corporate proposals.

“This time, five-time MLA Tapas Roy has taken charge as the Industry Minister. Unlike the previous government, we do not want to engage in any falsehoods or photo sessions. A large number of major industrial proposals have already come to us. A high-level team has been formed to scrutinise them, and they are currently doing the initial screening. A combination of large, medium, and small—this three-tiered (trifala) approach to industry will be established in West Bengal,” Adhikari said.

However, he added that the government would scrutinise investor credentials before clearing proposals.

“I want to first understand if they are coming with a bouquet just for courtesy, or if they really want to invest. We are getting investment proposals from investors, but we have to check their credentials, whether they have any bank or land fraud cases against them, or if they were involved in any money laundering disputes, before we go ahead with setting up the industries in the state,” he stated.

Taking a political swipe at the previous Trinamool Congress government, Adhikari accused it of inaction on industrial development and questioned the effectiveness of its business summits.

“We are against forcible land acquisition, like what happened in Singur and Nandigram during the erstwhile Left Front regime. At the same time, we are also against the TMC’s policy of doing nothing while only holding photo sessions and spreading lies about bringing industries.”

Adhikari also alleged massive financial irregularities during the Trinamool Congress regime regarding its flagship business summits, promising a high-level or CBI inquiry into the expenses.

“In the name of the business summit, Mamata Banerjee gave Rs 635 crore from the state exchequer to an event management group. A complete investigation will be conducted into this. It will be probed by the agency that investigates money laundering,” Adhikari charged.

The press conference was held on the sidelines of an exhibition showcasing the achievements of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Adhikari described him as “the greatest leader in the world” and credited central welfare schemes for India’s development trajectory.