Mr Sajjan Jindal-controlled JSW Steel Ltd may finally expect an end to the land riddle for its three million tonne integrated steel project at Salboni, in August.

The West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Partha Chatterjee, on Tuesday said that the State Government would grant lease for 4,300 acre project land in the first week of August.

“We are planning to sign the lease agreement with JSW in the first week of August. The project is running much behind schedule. We will ask the company to submit a fresh completion schedule,” Mr Chatterjee told Business Line .

Though JSW got possession of the land, the legal right could not be availed due to technical complications concerning violation of the West Bengal Land Ceiling Act.

The lease agreement, if it takes place in August, will be signed five years after JSW Ltd entered into a development agreement with the then State Government (the erstwhile Left Front Government).

According to Mr Chatterjee, boundary wall construction for the project has already begun while training of local youth (around 500-odd) has also been initiated.

>shoba.roy@thehindu.co.in

> abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in

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