The Hindu : National : Opposition to industries unfair, says Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2007
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National

National

Opposition to industries unfair, says Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

Staff Reporter

"Rehabilitating the displaced is moral responsibility of the government"

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Buddhadaeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday made a strong defence of the industrial policy that his government has adopted, accusing the Opposition parties of being unfairly opposed to the setting up of industries.

"The Opposition is committing a mistake," Mr. Bhattacharjee said at a housing project programme here. "We need only one lakh acres of land for setting up industries in the State as opposed to the 1.35 crore acres of land available." Mr. Bhattacharjee pointed out that West Bengal fared much better in agriculture and food production, compared to the rest of the country. "The national situation in agriculture is not good with reports coming in from various States such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra of farmers committing suicide," he said. "We remain an exception in this scenario, recording the highest production in rice and vegetables in the country."

Mr. Bhattacharjee said that rehabilitation of those displaced by the setting up of industries was the "moral responsibility of the government." "We will make sure that dwellings are not affected in the process, but in case it becomes unavoidable, we will provide alternative houses," he said. "We are not the kind of government that engages in development, leaving the poor to their fate."

Mr. Bhattacharjee said though greater success in agriculture was desired, the State could not progress only on the basis of agriculture. He said there was a need to create opportunities for the youth who preferred working in factories or engaging in trade and commerce than working on the fields.

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