Tata Group chief Ratan Tata today offered to return nearly 1,000 acres of land at Singur, from where it relocated the Nano car project to Gujarat in the face of political opposition, but sought compensation.
"We don't have any project there right now, but we will not stand in the way if the state government has any project for Singur which makes sense to us. We are keen to support the state," Tata told reporters after meeting state Industry minister Nirupam Sen here.
"We will cooperate with the state government to facilitate any project that helps the state."
Tata Motors were given 997 acres of land to set up Nano car project, now shifted to Sanand (Gujarat) after prolonged agitation by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress demanding return of 400 acres of land. Tatas had earlier announced of having invested Rs 1,500 crore in the Singur project.
Earlier in the day he said that Tatas were ready to return the land at Singur from where the Nano was to have rolled out before driving away to Sanand, if the state government compensated it for the investments made there.
"We don't want to sit on the land. We will return it if the state government compensates us for the investments made there," he said on the sidelines of Tata Tea's AGM here.
He, however, did not quantify the amount of compensation, when asked about it after his meeting with the minister, but said "what we left, we need to be compensated for that."
"Tatas are not going out of Bengal. We are here. We had an unfortunate experience in Singur, but our other projects in the state, including a cancer hospital and construction equipment project are on," Tata said.
Told that Railway minister Mamata Banerjee had stated that the land in Singur could be used for Railway projects, he said, "I would not like to comment on that."
Earlier at the Tata Tea AGM, he had replied to a similar question saying, "It is not her land."
When asked about the land at Singur, state Industry minister Nirupam Sen said, "Singur land has been acquired for industry and some kind of industry will be set up there. We will discuss it and come to an amicable settlement.
"Tata also assured that they will help for the industrial growth of the state," he said avoiding a direct reply on giving compensation to the Tatas.
Sen said that Tata projects going on in Bengal were discussed, but he had not discussed any project in Singur with Ratan Tata.
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