West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addresses a media conference after the inauguration of an exhibition celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 12 years of consecutive governance, in Kolkata
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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the BJP government would bring the Tata Group back to the State, emphasizing that the government is working on a land acquisition policy framework to balance industrial development with farmers’ rights.“I am not saying anything in detail about Singur and Tata at this moment, but we will definitely bring Tatas back to the State,” Adhikari said during a media conference in Kolkata.The Tata Group had announced to pull out its ambitious Nano small car project from West Bengal’s Singur in 2008, holding Mamata Banerjee-led agitation against land acquisition for the project solely responsible for the tough decision. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress came to power in the State in 2011.“The previous (Trinamool Congress) government returned the ownership of the Singur land to the farmers, but no farming is taking place there now. Because iron rods and cement are mixed into the soil, the character of the land has been completely changed,” Adhikari said, adding his government would attract investment and create jobs without repeating the mistakes that had triggered the Singur and Nandigram agitations.On land acquisition policy, the chief minister said the proposed framework would balance industrial development with farmers’ rights, rejecting both forcible acquisition and what he termed policy stagnation.“The government is working on its land acquisition policy. We are against forcible land acquisition, like what happened in Singur and Nandigram during the erstwhile Left Front regime. At the same time, we are also against the Trinamool Congress government’s policy of doing nothing while only holding photo sessions and spreading lies about bringing industries,” he said.Speaking at the press conference, organised to mark the 12th anniversary of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government, Adhikari said the West Bengal government would follow a balanced and employment-oriented approach for industrial development of the State. This approach would ensure consent-based development while promoting investment-led growth.Expand opportunitiesAdhikari said he has already urged the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to establish new factories or expand opportunities at the existing railway workshops in Kharagpur and Kanchrapara to boost employment.Notably, State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya last month informed that the new government would introduce a comprehensive land policy and a new data centre policy to bring a visible change to the industrial environment within 100 days of taking office.Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a Bharat Chamber of Commerce event, Bhattacharya said the Suvendu Adhikari-led government is considering incentives for industries, including a tax holiday, to make Bengal investment-friendly.“There is an aspiration now that economic activities will be taking place in West Bengal. At this crucial point of time, we have to deliver something to you. You are free to do your business. There will be no obstruction, there will be no hindrance, there will be no extortion. We are going to formulate new laws for you to protect the business community,” Bhattacharya had told business leaders attending the event.Published on June 12, 2026
