Financial closure of JSW Salboni project nearly complete

Last month,the West Bengal government said it would vest 270 acre of the 290 acre bought directly by the company from land owners at Salboni in West Midnapore district,citing land ceiling rules that allows a single holder to keep up to 24 acre.

Asked about this,Jindal said,“there is some issue about 270 acre of land. The chief minister has directed that whatever technical problems there are will have to be sorted out by 15 days.” Stating that the chief minister was very supportive of the project,he said,“I have made a commitment that work for the project will start after the Pujas (next month).” To a question,Jindal said the company would not seek SEZ status for the project. “No,we are not looking at an SEZ in this state.” Describing Banerjee as a “visionary”,Jindal said the chief minister made it clear that she wanted both industry and agriculture to go together. “I,on my part,have told her that we want industry to come up without adversely impacting agriculture.” Jindal said that he did not think land was a major issue in the project. “Those who gave their land did so willingly. My view is that they should get all the benefit of the project. I shall be happy to see them benefitted from the project.” He said land-losers and locals will be given job preference in the project. “We may have to recruit from outside at the senior levels,but locals will be given preference.” In reply to a question,he said that the security aspect for the project,located in a Maoist area,had not been discussed.

“Neither the chief minister,nor I,raised the security aspect. I don’t think security is an issue in the project. This has to do with the Maoists and the police. I don’t think the Maoists are against the project,” he said.