Other States - Orissa   

Congress MLA puts Tata group on notice

BHUBANESWAR: Umesh Swain, a Congress legislator, on Friday said he would sit on a dharna and force closing down of Tata Group offices as the company did not consider shifting its Nano, its small car project to Orissa.

“The company, which has built its empire by exploiting mineral resources from the State, has always shied away from putting up industry that would generate employment and create ambience for further investments,” Mr. Swain said addressing a press conference here on Friday.

He said Nano project could have ended ‘persistent indifferent’ approach shown by Tata Group towards the State for decades.

“After making thousands of crores of rupees of profit from mining business, Tata Group has given the State a few schools and hospitals. The amount paid back to society is meagre compared to its profit,” the Congress leader accused.

The group came to the State way back in 1965 to dig out iron ore at 25 paise per tonne from Gorumahisani area of Mayurbhanj district and enjoyed exporting valuable Chromite ore from Sukinda at almost free of cost compared to international price, he said.

Despite the fact that Tata Steel was in possession of more than 4,000 acres in Gopalpur, the company did not keep the State in its radar for shifting of Nano project, Mr. Swain added.

“We will mobilise people to close down offices of Tata Groups in the State. Company’s mining operation in Keonjhar district will be also be halted,” he threatened.

The Congress legislator charged that all these happened due to weak leadership in the State.

“Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has never been serious in his effort to bring the project to the State. He kept silent by sending letter and there was no persuasion on his part,” Mr. Swain pointed out.

All the mining leases and land leases being enjoyed by Tata Group in the State should be cancelled immediately, he demanded. Earlier, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader J.B Patnaik had suggested that Nano project should be shifted to the State.

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