Expert panel report to guide cabinet decision on Singur land: Tapas Roy

The West Bengal government will take a final decision on the future of industrial land at Singur only after receiving a report from an expert committee constituted to assess the status and potential of the acquired land, state industries minister Tapas Roy said on Thursday.

Addressing a Press conference at the Assembly after Governor RN Ravi’s inaugural address to the Budget Session, Mr Roy said the committee has been tasked with examining the condition of the land that had once been earmarked for industrial development and identifying the possibilities for future industrial use.

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“An expert committee has been formed to study the present status of the industrial land in Singur. Once the committee submits its report, the matter will be placed before the Chief Minister and the Cabinet, which will take an appropriate decision,” the minister said. The issue gained renewed attention after Bengal Governor RN Ravi, in his address to the Assembly, spoke of the government’s plans to establish new industrial parks under public-private partnership initiatives. Referring specifically to Singur, he said preparations had begun for developing a new industrial park in the area, reviving hopes of industrialisation in a region that has long remained at the centre of political and economic debate. The Singur land controversy dates back to 2008, when Tata Motors withdrew its Nano small-car project from the Hooghly district site following prolonged protests over land acquisition. The then Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata announced the relocation of the project to Sanand in Gujarat, citing an atmosphere that made it impossible to continue operations in Singur.

More than 17 years later, the Singur issue has resurfaced under the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a visit to Singur on 18 January, had also referred to the site and promised fresh industrial initiatives in the region. Welcoming the government’s move, CPI-M MLA from Domkal, Md Mostafijur Rahaman, said efforts should be made to revive all industrial locations that had been identified by the previous Left Front government. “The then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had taken initiatives to establish industries in Singur, Nandigram, Salboni and several other places. Those locations still have immense industrial potential. I would urge Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and industries minister Tapas Roy to restore those sites and facilitate industrial development there,” the Domkal CPI-M MLA said.

Mr Roy added that once the expert committee submits its report, he would personally visit Singur to assess the situation. He further urged the government to explore industrial opportunities across the state. “Not only Singur, but every location in West Bengal that has the potential for industrial growth should be examined and developed. Industrialisation remains crucial for employment generation and economic progress,” he said. The expert committee’s findings are now expected to play a key role in shaping the government’s industrial roadmap for Singur and beyond.