The West Bengal government has kept up the pressure on Dunlop India Ltd even though chief minister Jyoti Basu recently granted an audience to Komal Chhabria Wazir, daughter of the company's promoter M R Chhabria.
Basu wrote a letter to the prime minister on July 6 stating the state government's plea to take over the company's management under Industrial Development (Regulation) Act.
Intervening in the discussions in the state Assembly yesterday, Basu said the prime minister has been requested to take such a step some time back and the PM had assured the state government of a response within a week.
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Although the deadline has elapsed, the state government is yet to receive a communication from the Centre on the Dunlop issue. The state government has, therefore, decided to write to the prime minister again.
Basu added that he could not raise the issue during his recent Delhi visit because of other important engagements.
The West Bengal chief minister stated this in response to a demand for a statement on Dunlop India Ltd made by Congress chief-whip Abdul Mannan. Basu reiterated that he had recently met the Dunlop top brass at the Writers' Buildings, and had made it clear that the onus of persuading the unions and the banks to re-open the factories was on the management.
The state government's policy to assist sick companies will be applicable to Dunlop India after the management gains the employees' confidence.
Congress members later walked out of the Assembly protesting the state government's failure to convene a tripartite meeting for reopening Dunlop's Sahagunj factory.
Earlier, state finance minister Asim Dasgupta also intervened in the Dunlop debate when Subrata Mukherjee of the Congress wanted to know what happened to Dasgupta's commitment to take over of the company and make it operative.
Dasgupta said the state government's stand remains unaltered and it wants to take over the management only after it obtains the go-ahead from the Centre.
State minister for industrial reconstruction Mrinal Banerjee assured that the government will consider extension of relief and concessions under its policy parameters if sought for by the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction, with the consent of banks, financial institutions and employee unions.