'Bengal has enough land to give to industrialists'

Kolkata: Terming as "unfounded" the reports that the West Bengal government's land policy was hindering investment, industry minister Partha Chatterjee on Monday said the state would provide land to investors who come up with proposals for industrial projects.

"I challenge anybody to a give a list of at least 10 industrialists who had come with proposals for industrial projects, but had to return empty-handed because of non-availability of land," he told reporters at his chamber in the state Assembly.

"There is no use sitting and harping on the issue of land. I invite those investors who are facing land problems to come to us and we will look into their problems," he said.

"We have land in our hands and we will arrange land for you. But if anybody wants land nearer to Writer's Buildings, we cannot provide," he said.

He said for proposals for industrial projects worth Rs 500 crore to Rs 1000 crore, the state was prepared to provide land where there would be infrastructural facilities and road connectivity available, including Rajharhat.

He made it clear that the government would not allow setting up of real estates on land taken to set industry. "We have around 7,500 acres of industrial land of the closed state PSUs lying unused. We are exploring ways to utilise them."

He said that the state government has urged the Ministry of Commerce to extend the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) scheme to allow certain concessions to IT-major Infosys for setting up its first campus in West Bengal.

Responding to a question about the fate of the project, Chatterjee, who is also the IT minister, said he along with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had urged Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to extend the STPI scheme.

We are eagerly awaiting a response from the Centre in this regard, he said adding it has been communicated to the Infosys.

Infosys had sought a special economic zone (SEZ) status for its proposed project in the State. The project has been kept in abeyance after the government refused to grant an SEZ status to the project. Land for it had been identified by the erstwhile Left Front government at Rajarhat, a satellite township on the outskirts of the city.

The state government's policy that it would not acquire land for industrial projects and that businessmen need to buy it outright from landowners was believed by the critics to have proved a dampener for investors and entrepreneurs.

"We are very optimistic of getting investments in the IT sector. Other than Infosys, there are many others who want to invest in the state." added Chatterjee.

He said that the Accenture was willing to further invest several thousands crore of rupees by December this year for its units at Bantala and at Rajarhat.

"We have asked the company to give its plan in writing," he said.

Global technology and consultancy giant, Accenture, is currently in the process of setting up operations, by way of a software development and delivery centre at Rajarhat.

Chatterjee said that leading automaker Maruti Suzuki plans to invest Rs 250 crore for logistics hub at Siliguri in north Bengal for which land has been provided.

He said the company has asked for 40 acres of land for a similar hub at Kharagpur.