By ANIL BUDUR LULLA
Bangalore, Sept. 18: Karnataka today offered the Tatas the best possible inducement to drive the Nano project out of Singur.
Chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa laid on the table for Tata Motors boss Ravi Kant not one, but two plots of land — each as big as the one in Singur — which could easily house a plant to produce the world’s cheapest car and 60 ancillaries that the company believes are critical to the success of the project.
Several states, including Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, have offered to host the Nano since the Singur stalemate but none has presented such a concrete and attractive proposal.
Uttarakhand, a possible alternative, has said it could give Tata Motors about 300-400 acres in Pantnagar where the group has a plant that manufactures small commercial vehicles.
Sources said Yeddyurappa and his industry minister, Murugesh Nirani, offered the Tatas 1,000 acres of contiguous land — the minimum needed for the Nano plant — in two locations. The land has already been acquired by the Karnataka State Infrastructure Development Corporation, which is in the process of establishing industrial parks and allotting them to companies.
Sources said one plot was offered in Hubli, 430km from Bangalore, where the Tatas have two projects running. Another 1,000 acres was offered in the Bidadi industrial estate second phase project, 30km from the state capital, on the Bangalore-Mysore highway.
“We also offered them sops in terms of waiver of stamp duty and registration fee which may run into crores of rupees. As the Nano is a highly cost-driven venture, we were open to other incentives like state sales tax and excise benefits for a period of three to five years,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
Asked if the Karnataka government had offered 1,000 acres, Ravi Kant said: “Yes. If we have to have the project, it requires 1,000 acres. It is an integrated project.”
“He (Yeddyurappa) said he will give all support, assistance and required incentives if we want it,” the Tata Motors ma
naging director added.
Ravi Kant said the company was yet to take a decision on relocating the project from Singur.
“We are considering alternatives if required. We are actively looking at alternatives too,” he said.
Yeddyurappa said the Tatas were “very receptive”. “We hope for a positive outcome in view of our excellent relationship,” he said.
Governor Meet
Gopalkrishna Gandhi cancelled a scheduled meeting with a Trinamul Congress team on Thursday, a day after the chief minister said the governor had done his job. The government has said it is open to talks with Mamata Banerjee, but only if she drops her demand for 300 acres inside the project. ( END) Source: The Telegraph
Gopalkrishna Gandhi cancelled a scheduled meeting with a Trinamul Congress team on Thursday, a day after the chief minister said the governor had done his job. The government has said it is open to talks with Mamata Banerjee, but only if she drops her demand for 300 acres inside the project. ( END) Source: The Telegraph
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