West Bengal has not given up industrialisation: CM

The West Bengal government has not given up industrialisation of the state, including finalising an alternate project for Singur, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Monday.

"How can I dump industrialisation? There are major industrial projects which are moving forward. There is Videocon (project) in North Bengal, a power plant by the Jindals and the petrochemical project in Nayachar," he told a press conference here.

Asked about the scientific park projects of Infosys and Wipro, Bhattacharjee said, "They have visited Kolkata, we have given them land. Talks are going on."

"Even in Singur, we are trying our best to have an alternative project. We have not given up. I am not disclosing anything now," a beaming Chief Minister said.

The Tatas, last year, shifted its Nano car project from Singur to Gujarat due to stiff resistance by opposition parties, putting a question mark on the Left Front government's industrialisation plans.

To another question on the issue, he said, "We want development. We need industries. Without industries, how can we develop? ... But in the name of industries, we cannot ignore agriculture."

Bhattacharjee said there was a need for evolving a consensus on the issue. "Sometimes there are differences even within the (ruling Left) Front. We have to take our partners into confidence."