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Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Basu: sustain industrialisation drive

Special Correspondent

Decries Opposition attempts at “stalling” the development process

— Photo: A. Roy Chowdhury

Veteran speaks: CPI (M) leader Jyoti Basu addresses newspersons at his residence in Kolkata on Tuesday.

KOLKATA: The drive towards greater industrialisation will have to be sustained if unemployment is to be reduced, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu said here on Tuesday.

Decrying attempts by the Opposition to stall the development process and moves for greater industrialisation, Mr. Basu said “the path taken by Mamata Banerjee was not right.” “By breaking walls [as has been threatened at Singur] will West Bengal progress?”

“But this [such opposition to industry] is nothing new; the Opposition has done so even in the past … Yet, when we were in the Opposition we had never opposed development.”

Mr. Basu was addressing a news conference two days before the Left Front in the State completes its third decade in power, which he described a “historic achievement, unprecedented in the country.”

Joy and pride

“It is a matter of both joy and pride that the politically conscious people of the State have voted us to power for seven successive terms and with their support we hope to continue in government,” said Mr. Basu, who served as Chief Minister for more than 23 years since the Left Front came to power in June 1977.

The State had achieved major successes in agriculture, land reforms and in being able to decentralise power. “But there is no room for complacence,” he cautioned.

The unemployment rate had come down substantially since the first Left Front Government, but it was a matter of concern “with nearly 33 lakh educated unemployed,” he said.

The literacy rate hads risen “but our target of achieving 80 per cent literacy is yet to be reached.”

While Rregretting that power was is still to reach every village, he lauded the efforts of past Left Front Ggovernments in bringing down the percentage of people below the poverty line from 54 in 1977 to 22 now..

Contentious issue

On the contentious issue of acquisition of farmland for industry, Mr. Basu said that attempts were are being made to identify fallow land for setting up industry.

“But if multi-crop agricultural land has to be acquired it will have to be ensured that the peasants are given adequate compensation and jobs so that they are benefited in the long run,”, he added.

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