By IANS,
Kolkata : Tata Group will invest in West Bengal only if it is satisfied that the state government has no hostility towards it, the conglomerate’s chairman Ratan Tata said here Tuesday.
“There is a need for satisfying ourselves that there is no hostility towards us. When we feel that way, we will undoubtedly, like anywhere else, invest in the state,” Tata said at the annual general meeting of the group’s beverage company.
About investments in Bengal, Tata said: “I cannot comment on new investments except that we have several investments today in the state. New investments will come when opportunities arise. At present, we don’t have any but there is nothing negative.”
“The feeling for West Bengal caused us to look at setting up the Nano plant (in Singur) and increase investment in the state. In many ways we have a fondness for the people of Bengal. That feeling for Bengal still exists,” said Tata.
On the possibility of an out-of-court settlement on the Singur land case, he said: “It is sub-judice and I don’t think I can a make a statement. There is an ordinance that has been enacted and we have said that allocation of land should not be done before the court decides.”
The company’s move to set up a car plant in Singur had to be scrapped after persistent and often bloodied agitation led by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee against alleged forcible acquisition of land for the project by the then Left Front government.
Immediately after coming to power, Banerjee passed the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, scrapping the land lease given to Tata Motors and evicting the company from the premises at Singur.
The act had been challenged by the company and the matter is pending before the Calcutta High Court.