Tatas step up efforts to find new site for Nano in K'taka, AP

Two days after pulling out of Singur, Tata Motors is stepping up efforts to find a new site to roll out the Rs 1-lakh car Nano, with its Managing Director Ravi Kant today meeting officials of Karnakata and Andhra Pradesh, besides visiting proposed locations.

According to sources, Kant visited Karnataka in the morning and met state Chief Secretary and Industry Minister at Dharwad. He also visited a possible location in the state. Already, Chief Minister B S Yeduyurappa had offered 1,000 acres of land to the Tatas to roll out the world's cheapest car.

Kant is also scheduled to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy later in the day and look at sites around Hyderabad, sources added.

Last week, Ratan Tata had decided to pull out of Singur, where the group had invested close to Rs 1,000 crore for setting up the Nano plant, blaming state opposition leader Mamata Banerjee of forcing the company to pull out of Singur.

As per initial plans, Tatas planned to start commercial production of Nano from Singur by Durga Puja. Now after the pull-out it is to be seen whether the company will be able to meet the deadline or not.