New Delhi: Even as the agitation in Singur is set to intensify, TATA Motors has

assured the West Bengal government they would not be pulling out of the project
until forced to.

West Bengal Industries Minister, Nirupam Sen is meeting industrialists on the

issue, even as Trinamool Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee is planning a rally at
the project site.

"He (Ratan Tata) has invested a lot in this project. It is not his intention to pull out
until he is forced to do so by the circumstances. He has said earlier that it is the
people of West Bengal who have to take the call," Sen said.

TATA Motors Chairman, Ratan Tata met Nirupam Sen on Thursday night and
expressed his anxiety over the continuing agitations.

"We are deeply concerned about the people of Bengal. It's for the people of Bengal
to decide whether we are going to be an unwanted citizen or a resposible
corporate. If it is the latter then we will be happy. If not, then we would have to
just pursue our plans regardless," Ratan Tata said.

However, he was quick to add: "If people say that that we will protect our
investments irrepsective of anything then they are wrong. I will not bring in my
employees to Singur if there is threat of them being beaten up. TATA will do
whatever necessary to protect its employees."

"I want to understand why the TATA group is unwanted in West Bengal. There is a
definite concern of not being where we're wanted and where people are suspicious
of us. If there is this feeling among the people, then we will exit the state," Ratan
Tata said.

"We have plans to launch Nano by October this year, but many people don't want
that to happen and it's very easy for them to prevent it from happening, but I have
made a major investement here. To move from here will be at a great cost not
only for the TATA Group but also for West Bengal," he added.

Ratan Tata also said that he hoped West Bengal doesn't get characterised as a
trouble spot in India.

source:Why doesn't West Bengal want us, asks Ratan Tata

Last edited by nickatnite : 22nd August 2008 at 15:23.

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22nd August 2008, 15:47 #2

SuperSyn
Awaiting Email Confirmation
 They never should have invested in West Bengal knowing
Join Date: Jan 2005 the local politics of that region. Kerala for the same
Location: India
reason. There are so many states in India, after playing
Posts: 359
them against each other Tata would have got a decent
deal in practically any other state. TN, NCR, Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Karnataka......and Tata had to go ahead and
build his plant in West Bengal!

Frankly I hope the entire project gets freezed and Tata has
to move out. They'll suffer less loss this way. If you think
present agitations and disruptions are bad, just wait till
production starts.

22nd August 2008, 16:00 #3

Lalvaz
BHPian
Well, after reading this article I can figure out why WB lags
Join Date: Jul 2006 the rest of the world in Industrialization. Always thought it
Location: Bombay was a shame considering we have some of the finest
Posts: 396 brains from WB. Even if the folks there have a grouse
against Tata's, you really have to wonder why Industry is
not very happy doing business there. Mamata Banerjee
really ought to wonder how shes going to provide
employment for the people of the region if she remains so
opposed to setting up new factories there.

22nd August 2008, 16:17 #4

shankar.balan
Senior - BHPian
This is truly sad.

Let us not forget that vast tracts of WB, Orissa and the
other Eastern states are populated largely by the very poor
and uneducated. For all their politicos talk on Leftism and
Communism, all successive governmental regimes have
Join Date: Apr 2008 completely mis-managed these states. Who has suffered in
Location: Bangalore the bargain? The poor common man, as always!
Posts: 2,336
It is indeed very sad that the short-sightedness of our
View My Garage politicians can cause so much loss to the people, whose
elected representatives these self same politicians are! It is
clear that the powers that be, wish to remain the powers
that be, by fostering such large scale intellectual
stagnation of the electoral population!

Indeed, I wish Mr Tata had planned this huge and

prestigious investment somewhere in Southern/ Central
India - TN / Karnataka/ Maharashtra where the Auto
 Industry is already quite solidly entrenched as is the Auto
Ancillary Industry. Levels of education/ skilled labour etc
are already available to a great extent here compared with
many other places - it would have been a marriage made
in heaven and the people of India would have got the
NANO on time, because as he said, " A Promise is a
Promise".

His point is absolutely valid, when he mentions that he

hoped WB doesnt get classifed as a trouble spot.

What a first class company the Tata's are and how much
they have done for this country's development. It is indeed
a shabby treatment that is being meted out to them by
certain short sighted, venal, completely idiotic characters,
for no reason other than to create trouble and difficulty.

Dont they have even an iota of a sense of National pride?

An Indian company has achieved a World's FIRST in the
face of what everyone else claimed to be impossible- the 1
lac NANO car at a price of 2500 USD!

And now, instead of going all out to support them and see
this project come to completion, the politicos create such
havoc and difficulty!

India, Whither Goest Thou?

22nd August 2008, 16:19 #5

rajchetan
BHPian
MB is not apposed to TATA or any other Organization. She
is only using this as a method to get political benefit so
that she can become the CM.

Her ambition is to become the CM. But at What

Cost???????

Join Date: Oct 2004 I only hope TATA don't have to pull out else they will have
Location: Thailand / Hugh Losses as well as loosing out on the Business.
Vietnam / HK / Bangalore
Posts: 131 For Kolkatta the biggest disadvantage is that if TATA pull
out then it very unlikely that any other company/ MNC/
Organization will look at Kolkatta.

It hurts me how one of the most advanced cities in the

early '80ies n '90es is struggling for Industrialization. I am
amazed that they had the first Metro rail in India.
 No offense to Kolkatt'ins, I hope the people at least realize
whats best for them and not become Political Dummies.

22nd August 2008, 16:28 #6

asr245
BHPian
Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperSyn

They never should have invested in West Bengal knowing
the local politics of that region. Kerala for the same
reason. There are so many states in India, after playing
Join Date: Dec 2007 them against each other Tata would have got a decent
Location: Gurgaon deal in practically any other state. TN, NCR, Gujarat,
Posts: 366 Maharashtra, Karnataka......and Tata had to go ahead
and build his plant in West Bengal!

Frankly I hope the entire project gets freezed and Tata

has to move out. They'll suffer less loss this way. If you
think present agitations and disruptions are bad, just
wait till production starts.
Dont know about the cause of this agitation but if TATAs (a
100% Indian company) are thrown out, WB can pretty
much forget about any MNC investing there for a long
time. Dont know why they went there anyway. From what
I hear from my colleague (who's a bengali and from
calcutta) they have a bandh there for just about any
reason. Sometimes just to have a bandh they have a
bandh.

22nd August 2008, 16:38 #7

watashi75
BHPian
It is sad. If we didn't have bandhs,
strikes, curfews and cricket, India
would have progressed economically
by 1 year at least in saved man
hours.

Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 498

Re: Lost Opportunity-Tata Motor's NANO out of Singur (West Bengal)

What is now a loss to West Bengal may be a gain for one of the state vying for NANO
Project. Every Chief Minister worth his salt is trying to woo TATA in a spectacle never
seen before.
Some of the State

Gujrat : Here Tatas have advantages of Land availability( three locations identified
incl one near Amehdabad). Tata have several factories may fit into their plan.

Maharashtra: Pune, primarily. There they have Auto Factories for various other
vehicles. Components Vendors are also available here with ready to spare capacity.

Orissa: 3500 acres available with TATA. Law and order problem .

Karnataka: Dharwad. Already have sufficient space. Advantage of Airport and Nearby
Port, good for export.

AP: Cm promised all requirements would be met.

Uttaranchal: Tata are planning to get NANO off the ground from here to meet the
deadline. Already Land has been allotted.Vendors have also been promised speedy
allocation of Land. Availability of Land is no problem. People of the area are nice and
peaceful by nature.

Others are HP, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, MP etc.

Looks Like TATAs are having a whale of a time. Their CEOs and senior officers are
meeting with CMs and deciding comparative advantages/disadvantages

Each state is trying to better their offer. That is how competitive our economy has
become. Now it does not depend on political patronage of Industry but rather
industrial patronage of Politics.

Narendra Modi and Yeddiyurappa are looking good with upping the ante. On the other
hand left and Congress , both may end up with egg on their face.Now unless AP wins
the race, congress would be unable to tom tom their achievement in next election.

I have a feeling when left was trying to scuttle the Nuke deal, it was left to defend
itself on Nandigram. J&K was given to Congress and their CM was thrown down. And
to keep left further occupied, Singur was given to them to manage while congress got
busy sealing Nuclear deal. See Mamta and Amar were together on the Stage.

Assam violence is a counter attack for Orrisa. Tarun Gogoi will not be able to manage
and if president's rule is imposed in Orrisa the Congress would be open to charge of
partisan action. Coalition politics and different ruling parties in Centre and state has
left strange scenario to contend with. All this may not be true. But then
industrialization would become casualty of Politics.
Election years bring lot of action from stakeholders and all of them may not be
ethical.

Unfortunately , there is so much scope for industrialization and all round

development for each state that there need not be any jostling on these matters
resulting in loss of precious lives and displacement of families. There would be more
Nano type cars and other states could very well offer competitors advantages over
others.
States have to provide

1. Land (Non agricultural land). When Jamshedpur was setup there were no major
township in the 200 km periphery of it. The site was in the midst of Jungle a village
called Sakchi. Now it is a major industrial Town in Jharkhand.

2. Good Road , Rail and Air connectivity. Port should be available withing 500 Kms.
for easy transportation .

3. Power, preferably cheap but should be available 24x7 even if little costly.

4.Better Law and Order situation.

5. Responsive Administrative Machinery. Nobody likes slow moving indecisive

machinery. CMs have great role to play in this. Single window system might be of
some help.

6.Easy availability of skilled and unskilled manpower and very few labour problems.

7. Some sort of concession on few items:

Stamp duty, Sales tax, Income tax holiday,Excise Duty Holiday.Land at lower cost.

8.Local entrepreneurs to set up ancillary and other sectors.

Well anything to add to above thought.

pk

ps: It might be a good idea to incorporate a clause in lease agreement that if the
intended project does not come up then lease is terminated and land would be
allocated for other purposes. Revenue loss would be entirely responsibility of Leasing
Party.Normally lease agreement does provide for some sort of termination
arrangement.I don't know whether it is the case with Singur as Land could be used
for other similar purposes.However if Land is acquired under Land Acquisition act for
a specific purpose then its entirely different matter altogether.In any case return of
Land to Land owners may not be legally feasible but Govt could use it.

#24
6th October 2008, 01:08 AM
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,394
uasish Thanks: 1,160
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Re: Lost Opportunity-Tata Motor's NANO out of Singur (West Bengal)

We may have forgotten that the Tata's where intially offered Land near
Kharagpur,where there was no dispute regarding agricultural land.But Tatas selected
Singur ,where land had mostly 2-4 yields per annum,at that moment Left Front
succumbed becoz they where on receiving end & the Local Party Machinery misguided
the Boss's of Kolkata that they would be able to garner the land within no time,becoz
of their (the local CPM parties) vested interest.
Even initially Mamata asked them to select Land strech just opposite of the National
Highway,means the Right hand side of NH than the Left hand side,becoz the right
hand side land was having max 1 yield & slightly Low land.
But the Tatas where disagreeable.
Now when the pesants revolted just by not accepting a single paisa compensation,we
thump our chest hai hai Industrialization.
Tell me why a factory cant be set just on the opposite side than the present site,dont
give me any crap of cost effectiveness blah blah .

Around 1000 acres is now under Tata's lease for 99 yrs @ Rs 5 crore per annum Lease
fee.This Rs 5 crore is to be adjusted from a soft loan of Rs 200 crore to the Tatas by
West-Bengal Govt !! Apart from 21 yrs TOTAL VAT FREE.

When DLF is giving Rs 26 Lacks per acre & here Rs 6 Lacks,i knew Amitav Bacchan is
son in law of Bengal did not knew the adopted son Ratan Tata (unmarried) to be son
in law of Left Front Govt.
Last edited by uasish; 6th October 2008 at 01:16 AM.

#25
6th October 2008, 01:32 AM
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,394
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Re: Lost Opportunity-Tata Motor's NANO out of Singur (West Bengal)

I am a Capital Mkt trader & this is my only source of income i am 100 % for
industrialization but in this specific case lost some respect for Mr Ratan Tata,who 30
yrs back was entrusted with 'Nelco' ,an organization at that time was in Red,he single
handedly turned it.Mr Ratan Tata had to prove his salt vis-a-vis Rusi Mody the
GIANT ,the Doyen & Mr Ratan Tata earned his position to become the Boss.
At this age he can still fly a fighter plane having all his mental & physical abilities well
tuned.
He has shown the World that Tisco is the ONLY steel manufacturer including Mr
Lakshmi Mittal's companies,that COST of Tisco per tonne is LOWEST,that Tisco's
balance sheet can be leveraged to Buy a 10 times it's size Corus,not by Mittal's
methodology but by sheer excellence in Manufacturing.

Keeping all this in mind i say that Mr Ratan Tata behaved partisanly & forgone Rs 500
crore LOSS to share holders.

I still believe as per the 'Game Theory' ,may be this is not what we see,may be there
are few more things to happen in future.

#26
6th October 2008, 09:41 AM
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Bangalore
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 Re: Lost Opportunity-Tata Motor's NANO out of Singur (West Bengal)
Hi!

Some background for Tata Motors.

The all time Great JRD had decided to get into a new business and had appointed a
young Project Officer to identify a company that could be taken over for this venture.

This Project officer identified a company "Futura Automotive" near Pune which was in
auto ancilliary, and also had a lot of land in unutilised condition.... few hundreds of
acres.

Take over went smooth. Name was changed... company grew an had it's IPO.

The Project officer then had already become the Technical Director first and later
became the Executive director. JRD was the CMD.

Then for expansion purposes, and with obvious reasons, Jamshedpur was chosen.

Company grew, and now the Executive director became the Joint MD.

Later he became the MD, with JRD was still the chairman.

Finally, he became the CMD, with JRD only as a director on the board.

It is said that after his death, as a tribute to him, one car was named with two letters
each from his name and surname.... Sumant Moolgaonkar.... and the SUMO was
launched.

And with this background, when someone metions "Telco also has a plant in Pune" it is
definately NOT the complete information.

Mamta trying for a better and fair price for farmer's land.... is a joke. Now the prices
have crashed BELOW what they were two years ago..... Thanks o Mamta.

I wonder, if Tata's had refused any kickbacks to Mamta that had led this agitation. I
do NOT see any other reason, and politicians in India are capable of doing it. Like I
heard that the anti-smoker law was a result of refusal of kickbacks from tobacco
majors to the concerned Minister. We shall never know the facts.

Cheers!
SS