KOLKATA: Minister for industry, education, information technology and parliamentary affairs and trusted aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Partha Chatterjee on Sunday evening claimed that Tatas had selected Kharagpur and not Singur for their small car Nano factory in West Bengal.
Speaking during Singur Adhikar Raksha Divas in Singur to land losing farmers on Sunday evening, the senior minister said that Tatas had zeroed in on Kharagpur for the plant in 2006 but the then CPM government gave the fertile lands in Singur for setting up of the plant.
"Tatas wanted to set up plant in Kharagpur as industrial infrastructure is already in place there but the CPM government gave away agricultural land for the factory," he said.
Though the Supreme Court gave decision against the land acquisition of fertile agricultural lands by Tatas in Singur, the state government is finding it tough to give back the lands to the farmers. Out of 7 weeks time given to return the lands, 3 weeks have already passed.
The minister said,"Some 20% land holders are yet to submit their applications for getting land back. The sooner it is done, the sooner land can be given back."
It is taking more time than speculated to bring down the shade of the unfinished Tata factory and dismantle the entire structure.