KOLKATA: Downtown residential projects and commercial activities are all that chairman emeritus of Tata Group Ratan Tata could see on his way from Kolkata airport on Wednesday. "I couldn't see any industrial development... All this looks like countryside development," he said.
Forget making a London out of Kolkata, as chief minister Mamata Banerjee had promised, the city falls far short of Ratan Tata's expectations. In a biting coincidence, the Oberoi Group announced on the same day that it also doesn't have plans for Kolkata or Bengal at the moment. Tata's remarks will cut deep in a state grieving over the dismal industrial scene. Battling a series of recent setbacks, including the lynching of a jute mill CEO and INTTUC trouble at several industrial units, the ruling Trinamool Congress chose not comment on Tata's observations.
Asked if he saw any change in Kolkata in the last two years, Tata spoke freely at an interactive session organized by the Ladies' Study Group on Wednesday. "When I was coming from the airport I could see a lot of development coming up. I saw a lot of residential and commercial buildings but I couldn't see an industry. All this looks like countryside development," said Tata, adding that he would like everyone to "look at what Narendra Modi has done for Gujarat". He is quite positive about Modi's taking over as Prime Minister and hopes that India will be back on the growth trajectory.
The former chairman of Tata Sons recalled two tough situations in his career — one positive and the other negative. While he could overcome the labour trouble in Pune factory, Singur turned out to be miscarriage, he said. "We had to shift a completed factory out of Singur due to hostility to a different location. There was a great risk involved in doing so. We had 3 lakh orders for the Nano car. Customers had made full payment. We lost one vital year in delivery because of which much of the enthusiasm about Nano was dampened," he said.
Forget making a London out of Kolkata, as chief minister Mamata Banerjee had promised, the city falls far short of Ratan Tata's expectations. In a biting coincidence, the Oberoi Group announced on the same day that it also doesn't have plans for Kolkata or Bengal at the moment. Tata's remarks will cut deep in a state grieving over the dismal industrial scene. Battling a series of recent setbacks, including the lynching of a jute mill CEO and INTTUC trouble at several industrial units, the ruling Trinamool Congress chose not comment on Tata's observations.
Asked if he saw any change in Kolkata in the last two years, Tata spoke freely at an interactive session organized by the Ladies' Study Group on Wednesday. "When I was coming from the airport I could see a lot of development coming up. I saw a lot of residential and commercial buildings but I couldn't see an industry. All this looks like countryside development," said Tata, adding that he would like everyone to "look at what Narendra Modi has done for Gujarat". He is quite positive about Modi's taking over as Prime Minister and hopes that India will be back on the growth trajectory.
The former chairman of Tata Sons recalled two tough situations in his career — one positive and the other negative. While he could overcome the labour trouble in Pune factory, Singur turned out to be miscarriage, he said. "We had to shift a completed factory out of Singur due to hostility to a different location. There was a great risk involved in doing so. We had 3 lakh orders for the Nano car. Customers had made full payment. We lost one vital year in delivery because of which much of the enthusiasm about Nano was dampened," he said.
Tata doesn't have second thoughts on Singur when he looks back at his decision. "If you put a gun to my head, you pull the trigger or take the gun away. I won't move my head," he said, echoing word-for-word what he had said while leaving Singur in October 2008. The industrialist is indebted to Narendra Modi for offering him land at Sanand in Gujarat. "I owe a great deal to Mr Narendra Modi who gave Nano its new home. A state government should be supportive of industrial groups and should not be biased against anyone. It should act as a facilitator," Tata said.
He pointed out that while he had a bitter experience in Singur, he could overcome a similar situation in Pune. "The Pune factory was facing a lot of labour trouble. One union leader, Rajan Naiar, used to beat our men and even stabbed a few of our engineers to demoralize them. I stood firm and stayed put in the factory for three nights. Finally, the leader was arrested. Old workers in Pune factory still recall the incident," Tata said.
If it's any consolation, Ratan Tata does have a soft corner for the Taj Group hotel in Kolkata. In fact, Taj Bengal is his most preferred hotel, he said.
He pointed out that while he had a bitter experience in Singur, he could overcome a similar situation in Pune. "The Pune factory was facing a lot of labour trouble. One union leader, Rajan Naiar, used to beat our men and even stabbed a few of our engineers to demoralize them. I stood firm and stayed put in the factory for three nights. Finally, the leader was arrested. Old workers in Pune factory still recall the incident," Tata said.
If it's any consolation, Ratan Tata does have a soft corner for the Taj Group hotel in Kolkata. In fact, Taj Bengal is his most preferred hotel, he said.
Earlier in the day, Oberoi-promoted EIH Ltd vice-chairman S S Mukherjee held that the business environment in Kolkata is not conducive for setting up a second hotel in the city. The company also has no plans for its property in North Bengal — Mount Everest Hotel that's lying closed for years.
Some may wonder, why, I, who so much disapprove Modi should post this article.
I would like to remind our readers that I was not always against Modi and the BJP. Before the formation of AAP, I favoured the BJP for they were the better of the two alternatives-Congress vs BJP as we had no third alternative. But after the agitation of India against Corruption and the formation of AAP, I found there was a third choice which was far better than either of them. Hence, I became a strong supporter of AAP. I am giving below one of the posts from our blog in October, 2008, which explained my views then.
Saturday, October4, 2008
Nano's Withdrawal from Bengal
Unfortunately for Bengal but fortunately for Tata, he has withdrawn.
Ratan Tata has been saved a perpetual headache because of the likes of Mamta Banerjee and Lakshman Seth(CPM MP from Haldia) of Haldia reputation
Now, where will Tata go?
I had written a letter to my paper, The Telegraph, which I have pasted here to give my views where Nano will go.
Radheshyam
Editor,
The Telegraph.
Sir,
Mr Ratan Tata has rightly decided to withdraw the Nano project from Singur. But while withdrawing he says that the trigger of the gun was pulled by Mamata Banerjee.
I disagree with him in this.
The trigger was pulled by Jyoti Basu 41 years ago when he introduced the militant brand of trade unionism in Bengal and we witnessed the unique sight of a Chief Minister (Ajoy Mukherjee) sitting in dharna against his own government.
Jyoti Basu continues to pull the trigger from his sick bed and he has worthy successors in Biman Basu and Prakash Karat. You will recall how they all ganged up against Buddhadev Bhattacharya when he declared that there would be no more strikes in Bengal.
Bengal presently has only one industry flourishing.
The real estate and building promotion. This is because the CPM gets a cut in all such deals.
The IT and BPO industry had started growing but because of bandhs called by Mamta Banerjee and Jyoti Basu and others once every quarter, that industry loses twelve extra days every year, besides the other holidays. So it is just a matter of time before they too wind up.
Infosys has already fired the first shot.
Now, where will Tata take the Nano.
He has a number of states competing for it.
He has probably short listed Gujarat,Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttarkhanda.
Uttarkanda will lose because of the Chipco movement. Tata would not like to land from frying pan to fire.
Maharashtra will lose out because of Raj Thackery and his militancy which is very similar to Mamta's.
Karnataka will lose out because of the violence against the Christians. We will not discuss here as to who is at fault.
That leaves only Gujarat. In spite of his fame for all the wrong reasons. Modi still has the reputation of giving the cleanest governmenrt in India.
I would bet on Tata chosing Gujarat.
R S Sharma
188, Bangur Avenue,
B-Block,
Kolkata - 700055
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