Tata Steel executive says maoists impacting business: Report

Critical law and order situation in eastern India caused by Maoist rebels is impacting business at Tata Steel, with suppliers and customers reluctant to visit its Jamshedpur plant, The Hindu Business Line reported on Friday quoting the firm's top executive.                                           

"For nearly 50 days, train services between Kolkata and Jamshedpur have remained irregular, with night services totally suspended due to the Maoist problem... How long can this continue?," the report quoted managing director HM Nerurkar, as saying.                                           

But, the train service disruptions have not affected the firm's production, he said. 

"The gap between the eastern region and the rest of the country will widen and we may not get people to work for us," Nerurkar was quoted as saying.                                           

Maoist rebels, inspired by China's Mao Zedong, say they are fighting for the poor and landless and have backed farmers in land disputes with industry, one of the main obstacles in Asia's third largest economy to higher growth and more rural jobs.