Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Oct. 5: Putting up a brave front after Tata Motors’ decision to pull out of Singur, chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Sunday that the state may have lost one battle, but not the war. Speaking out for the first time since Mr Ratan Tata's announcement of the decision to shift the Nano project out of the state, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “We have lost one battle, but the war is not over yet. We must fight.” He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Orion Techcity, a 155-acre integrated IT SEZ at Rajarhat today. Dubbing the Opposition as ‘irresponsible’, the chief minister wondered why it had ‘failed to understand the need for industrialisation in the state'. “They give importance to agriculture. We also give importance to agriculture in which the state has been self-sufficient. But only agriculture will not help us in progressing further, we need industrialisation for total development. Why is the Opposition failing to understand (this)?” he asked. “No right-thinking person is happy with the withdrawal of the Nano project just ahead of the Durga Puja. However, Mr Ratan Tata had said that he was not leaving forever and he would invest in the state in future,” said Mr Bhattacharjee. He also expressed hope that despite the pull-out of Tata Motors, the industrialisation process will go ahead in the state. “We must fight and overcome the obstacles. We want to raise our head again,” said Mr Bhattacharjee. He, however, conceded that the automobile major's decision had sent a “serious message” about the state across the country. “A serious message has gone all over India - what is happening in West Bengal?” he asked. The chief minister reiterated that though the state ranked best in the country in agriculture, the state's economy needed industry for further growth. “After our success in agriculture, we are trying to bring in industrialisation in the state. Our economy cannot depend on agriculture only, and the youth of the state want industry and business,” he added. Orion Techcity, for which the foundation stone was laid, is expected to attract around $1.2 billion in investments over a 10-year period. The first phase of the SEZ is scheduled to be completed by 2011. External affairs minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who was also present at the function, said that India has set an export target of Rs 1,250 billion from SEZs this year. Earnings from SEZs stood at Rs 660 billion last year. (END) Source : The Statesman
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