The Hindu Business Line : Bengal signs land lease pact with Tata for Singur

Kolkata March 9 The West Bengal Government on Friday signed the much-awaited land lease agreement with Tata Motors for the latter's small car project at Singur, about 35 km from here.

The West Bengal Industry Secretary, Dr Sabyasachi Sen, signed the agreement on behalf of the State Government while Mr Debashish Som, Managing Director of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), signed on behalf of WBIDC. Mr R.S. Thakur, Vice-President (Finance), Tata Motors, signed on behalf of the company.

Speaking to newspersons later at Writers' Buildings, Dr Sen said a 90-year lease agreement had been signed with Tata Motors for the project. While 645 acres of land would be earmarked for the mother plant, 290 acres would be set aside for auto ancillary units that would be set up there. WBIDC would retain 47 acres with it for development of infrastructure and 14.5 acres had been earmarked for a 220 KV electric sub-station.

Dr Sen declined to mention the price Tata Motors would have to pay for the 90-year land lease. He pleaded his inability to provide further details of the lease agreement since the State Assembly is now in session.

He, however, mentioned that Tata Motors would invest Rs 1,500 crore on the mother plant even as a further investment of Rs 500 crore would be made in auto ancillary units in the area. Earlier, the Tatas had pegged the investment at the proposed small car plant at Rs 1,000 crore.

No formal ceremony was held for the signing of the land lease agreement.

More Stories on : New Projects | Tata Motors Ltd | West Bengal | Cars

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