No word from Tata on Singur land compensation: govt

The West Bengal government has not received any compensation bill from Tata Motors for the land at Singur given for its small car project, although group chairman Ratan Tata has expressed willingness to return the land to the government if compensated for its investment.

"As far as I am aware, the Tatas have not given us any compensation bill (for the land at Singur)," state Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty told newsmen when asked whether the state government was paying any compensation to the Tatas for the return of the land.

In October last year, Ratan Tata had announced his company was withdrawing from its small car project in Singur following the sustained agitation by Trinamool Congress demanding return of 400 acres of land to unwilling donors.

On September 1 this year, Ratan Tata had said that Tata Motors was willing to return the land at Singur if compensated for the total investment the company had made in the land.

Hinting that the land could be taken away from the Tatas, the Home Secretary said, "The land was given on lease for a specific purpose. If that purpose is not served, there is no scope (for the Tatas) to hold the land. I think so."

The state government had not yet discussed the matter with the Tatas, he said adding it will be done only after an alternative land use formula was worked out.