The Hindu Business Line : Tata will make Nano in Singur, claims WB official

KUALA LUMPUR: West Bengal on Wednesday claimed that the world's cheapest wheels, Nano, will be made in Singur, although car maker Tata Motors had stomped out of the eastern Indian state in a huff last year.

“West Bengal lost the opportunity of being Nano's number one plant. However, Nano will definitely be made in West Bengal as the low-cost car needs at least four to five plants,” the state's Principal Industry Secretary, Mr Sabyasachi Sen said here.

He, however, did not state by when this would happen.

Tata Motors, which chose Sanand in Gujarat as the alternative site to manufacture the sub-$2,500 car Nano, still has its plant in Singur.

Company Chairman Mr Ratan Tata, at the commercial launch of the people's car on March 23, had said that the factory shell was still intact in Singur - from where it quit over a land row fuelled by opposition Trinamool Congress party.

“Their plant (Tata's) in Singur is almost ready,” Mr Sen said while seeking to explain the events leading to Tata Motors exit from the state.

“Tata did not want to delay, it wanted to be in the market with the car before other small car makers entered the scene. Tatas also did not want any aggressive tactic to deal with the situation... they have a global reputation,” said Mr Sen, who is here to woo Malaysian auto component makers to set up shop in West Bengal. - PTI

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