Karnataka offers 1000 acres land for Nano
Published on Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 12:13
WELCOME TO TATA: Chief Minister Yedyurappa briefs the media on his talks with Tata Motors officials.
Bangalore/ New Delhi: The Karnataka government has offered 1000 acres for the Nano car project and "incentives", Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant said on Thursday.
Kant announced this after meeting Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa in Bangalore on Thursday morning. The Karnataka government has offered land for the Nano factory in the north Karnataka district of Dharwad.
The Tata group already has a 800-acre manufacturing unit at Belur on the outskirts of Dharwad city where it makes the low-floor Marco Polo buses.
The twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad have an all-season airport, which has direct flights to Bangalore and Mumbai and they are near ports. There are at least 20 engineering colleges in and around Dharwad.
Speaking to CNN-IBN, Yedyurappa said Tata Motors were “very receptive” to his suggestion that they manufacture then Nano in Dharwad. “I told Tatas to come to Dharwad. Hopefully they will take a decision in two months,” he said.
Yedyurappa said he had promised the company there would be no dharnas or violent protests against them, as the state’s people want an industrial revolution.
The company was to set up a factory to manufacture the Nano in Singur, West Bengal, but suspended work at the plant on September 2 saying it feared the security of its employees who were manhandled and threatened by protesters opposed to 'forcible acquisition of farmland' for the project.
The talks between the Karnataka government and Tata Motors were held after the West Bengal government clearly told Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday that it cannot give more land from the factory area to farmers.
Mamata has threatened a fresh agitation if the government does not agree to return the 300 acres inside the Nano plant. The Bengal government says it can allot 70 acres.
Mamata is expected to announce her future course of action after meeting West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi on Friday.
Kant said, "We have not taken any decision (on relocating from Singur). We will consult our chairman Ratan Tata."
(With inputs from IANS)
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