Tatas deny WB govt's charges of not generating jobs

Strongly refuting the West Bengal government's charges of not creating employment opportunities, Tata Motors today said it had invested Rs 1,800 crore to set up the Nano plant in Singur that would have generated over 10,000 jobs.

The company also said it would take appropriate steps after studying the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill, 2011 passed by the West Bengal government today.

The Bill scraps land deal with the company and seeks to return 400 acres acquired by the company from "unwilling" farmers, an election pledge of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"The company had invested nearly Rs 1,800 crore in establishing the plant. All the equipment had been installed in the plant and trial production had begun. The company still has buildings, sheds and infrastructure on the plot on which it has invested about Rs 440 crore," Tata Motors said in a statement.

Besides, 13 vendors had constructed plant buildings, while 17 others were at various stages of constructions, and the vendors had invested about Rs 171 crore, it added.

"Had the project been allowed to flourish, the plant would have initially directly employed 2,000 persons, and in a cascading manner created employment in excess of 10,000 jobs amongst the vendors and service providers in the vicinity of the plant, as can be seen at the new location of the project," the company said.