The Hindu Business Line : Bengal CM for ‘national policy’ on iron ore

Snapshot
Steel plants coming up in the State cannot do without iron ore and coal.
The Government of India must announce a National Policy for iron ore.
Coal mines also must be handed over to local mining corporations.

Our Bureau

Kolkata, Oct. 4 The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has reiterated his demand for a “National Policy” for iron ore. He has also stressed upon the importance of growth in sectors such as manufacturing, IT, biotechnology and food processing for creation of jobs in the economy.

Mr Bhattacharjee was speaking at function held here today immediately after a memorandum of agreement was signed between the West Bengal Government and the Jai Balaji Group for setting up a five million tonnes per annum capacity steel pant, a captive power plant of 1215 MW capacity and a three million tonnes per annum capacity cement plant in Purulia district of West Bengal at an estimated investment of Rs 16,000 crore.

Mr Bhattacharjee said several industrial groups had proposed to set up steel plants in West Bengal. These include the Jindal, Videocon and Jai Balaji groups. He said it would be important to ensure raw material linkages for smooth operations of the proposed plants.

In this context, Mr Bhattacharjee said that he had already taken up the matter with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. “Steel plants coming up in the State cannot do without iron ore and coal. The Government of India must announce a National Policy for iron ore. Coal mines also must be handed over to local mining corporations,” he said.

Mr Bhattacharjee spoke of the State Government’s “differences with the Centre on the perception of development”. He said that while the nation’s GDP was growing by 8-9 per cent per annum, employment growth in the country was barely four per cent. “What is the use of high GDP growth rates if there are no commensurate job opportunities”, he said, adding that investments in manufacturing, IT, biotechnology and food processing would go a long way in creating much-needed jobs in the country.

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