A day after the chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata announced his decision to move out of Singur in West Bengal, the Orissa government has sprung into action to woo the company to set up its Nano car project in the state.
The chief minister Naveen Patnaik today wrote a letter to Ratan Tata, the chairman, Tata Sons, requesting him to consider Gopalpur in Orissa as a possible location for the project. The Tatas had acquired 3,700 acres of land at Gopalpur in late 90s to set up a steel plant and the land is lying unused with the company shelving the steel project.
In his letter Patnaik stated that the news paper reports indicate that there are certain problems faced by Tata Motors for grounding the car project at Singur. If that be so, why the company is not considering setting up the project at Gopalpur where it has 3700 acres under its possession from 1998. Gopalpur, situated on National Highway number 5 and is right on the main railway line connecting Kolkata with Chennai.
Stating that Orissa has received highest investment in the country for last three years, he stated that the state has become a favourite destination for investment in metal, IT and tourism sectors. The company can avail the attractive incentives as per the industrial policy resolution, 2007. “The Industrial policy resolution (IPR), 2007 of the Orissa government offers attractive incentives to industries and will be available to the project.
I shall be thankful if a decision is taken to set up the project at Gopalpur”, Patnaik added. The Tata group head said on Friday that the situation at the factory site at Singur was not suitable for further work owing to the agitation led by Trinamool Congress (TC) leaded Mamata Banerjee and her allies.
Though he announced to pull out from West Bengal, Tata did not indicate where the plant will move to. “We have not decided where the plant will be shifted and have offers from three-four states. It is inappropriate to make statement on time line for new factory today and I will announce this later’, he stated.