Agro-industrial park to be set up at Singur: Mamata

Kolkata: On Christmas eve, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an agro-industrial park at Singur without any acquisition of land.

It may be recalled that Banerjee had launched the movement against forceful acquisition of multi-crop land at Singur in Hooghly for setting up of Tata's small car factory that led to the downfall of the 34-years of Left Front rule in 2011.

Giving equal importance to both agriculture and industrialisation, Banerjee said: "There is a bright prospect for an agro-industry park at Singur which is rich in cultivation of different types of crops."

West Bengal Small Scale Industry Corporation is developing the park on 11-acre land off National Highway 2 adjacent to Singur Station and it is also close to the Singur Trauma Care centre set up by the Mamata Banerjee government.

"Construction of the boundary wall around the park has already been initiated. There will be provisions to set up small, medium and large scale agro-industry in the park. After receiving requests from interested investors, plots of dimension ranging from 10 to 30 cottah will be allotted to them," Banerjee said, adding that the provision of allotting land can be modified if a request for major industry at the park is received.

Banerjee also spoke about the farmers' agitation and stated that her government had returned their land following the Supreme Court order. She also stated that her government is still providing financial assistance and free-of-cost rice to farmers.

In connection with the Tajpur deep sea port, Banerjee said the Expression of Interest (EoI) will be floated on Monday to rope in developers from India or any other part of the globe. "The project will come up at a cost of Rs 4,200 crore that will attract investment of Rs 15,000 crore and lead to a creation of 25,000 job opportunities," she said, adding that the project will ensure economic rejuvenation in districts, including Purulia, Jhargram, Burdwan, Bankura, East and West Midnapore.

"At least 13 percent iron ore export of the country takes place from Bengal. It will also help to increase this export from the region and seafood to South-East Asian countries, including Japan," Banerjee said. She further maintained that if needed, an export centre will also be developed near the state's first deep sea port.

The Chief Minister also stated that the state government is allotting 38 acre of land at Panagarh Industrial Park to Dhanuka Group as they are investing Rs 400 crore in a new project in the food processing sector.

She also added that the excavation work at Deocha Pachami will start from areas where there is no settlement.

She also allowed Hidco to keep the dynamic window open round-the-year for allotment of land for setting up of the IT industry at Silicon Valley in New Town.