The West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, on Saturday said the state-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has submitted a proposal to set up a metro rail coach factory in the Singur land previously taken over from the possession of Tata Motors.

“SAIL has given a letter to the State Government expressing interest to set up a metro rail coach factory. I had a talk with the Railway Minister, Mr Dinesh Trivedi,” Ms Banerjee said in a media briefing at Writers' Buildings today.

The factory could be set up in joint venture with the Railways, SAIL and the State Government, she pointed out. “I will be happy if the coach factory is set up in joint venture on 600 acres at Singur. We are committed to return the remaining 400 acres to the unwilling farmers,” Ms Banerjee said.

“There is some court case binding and once it is lifted, we want to set up industry on 600 acres,” she added.

The Calcutta High Court on September 28 through approved the State action (taking over land from Tata Motors) ordered an unconditional stay on Singur Land till November 2 to allow any aggrieved party to appeal in higher courts.

Other announcements

Announcing a slew of industrial projects that her government plans to implement in the next six months, Ms Banerjee said, “TVS group will set up a manufacturing unit at Howrah, SAIL has already injected Rs 20,000 crore in the State, and HPCL will invest Rs 1,000 crore in Asansol (in Burdwan). Industrial revolution in Bengal will surely happen.”

The State Government was also in talks with the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr Anand Sharma, for setting up textile hubs in the State.

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