The land of the Tatas' Nano car factory, since relocated, at Singur is now in government custody and will be returned to the unwilling farmers from whom it had been “forcibly taken away,” once the court verdict is delivered, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.
The hearing of the Tata Motors' petition in the Calcutta High Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, was concluded on September 16 and the verdict is expected shortly.
Ms. Banerjee invoked the name of Goddess Durga and asked a gathering at Singur to pray that “a good decision” is delivered by the court.
Singur day
Addressing a political rally to mark “Singur Day,” death anniversary of Rajkumar Bhul, a youth who died in police action on agitators in 2006 during the movement led by Ms. Banerjee against the land acquisition, Ms. Banerjee said a Shaheed Stamba (martyrs' monument) would be constructed in Singur.
She said her government framed a new policy, under which land would never be forcibly taken away from farmers.
The Chief Minister said she would ask the Railways to set up a metro coach factory on the 600 acres that would remain at the Nano factory site after land was returned to the unwilling farmers.
The Agricultural department would issue “Kisan Credit Cards” to farmers and provide crop insurance to indemnify poor peasants for losses due to drought, floods or sabotage.
“My government will pay the premium for the crop insurance.”
The government would set up 200 cold storages across the State so that potato farmers were not short-changed.
