Ratan Tata?s statement that he may have to pull out the Nano project from Singur is not just a challenge for Bengal?s reforming chief minister, Buddhdeb Bhattarcharjee. It is also a question mark on Bengal?s industrial and economic prospects. West Bengal has been in continuous industrial decline since its peak in the 1960s. Consider this: the share of registered manufacturing of Bengal in all-India NDP has fallen steadily from 21% in 1960-61 to just 4.4% in 1999-2000. The percentage share of Bengal in net value added in India fell from 23.2% in 1959-60 to a shocking 5.4% in 1999-2000. The percentage share of Bengal?s employment in India fell from 23.1% in 1959-60 to 8.4% in 1999-2000. What more proof does one need?
The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee administration has certainly tried to reorient policy towards attracting industry, and the state government would have hoped that the statistics for 2009-2010 would show an upward revision in industrial performance. However, the twin fracas over the SEZ in Nandigram and the Tata Nano project in Singur threaten to keep Bengal in its low-level industrial equilibrium. Both disputes are over the transfer of land from agriculture to industry. Nandigram was horribly managed by the CPM and Singur has been hijacked by agitating opposition politicians. One wonders what Mamata Bannerjee?s plans are for reviving industry in the state. But it is Buddhadeb, in charge now, who must find a way out. Remarkably enough, a majority of the land required for the project has already been acquired ?-697 acres of the 997 acres have been acquired and nearly 11,000 title holders have sold out, who expressed no problem whatsoever with the project. Of the 300 acres that are the focus of agitation, almost half belong to people who have no title deeds and thus can receive no compensation. This is partly thanks to the CPM?s patchy Operation Barga. So, the CPM has a dual responsibility in finding a smart way to get these cultivators with no title deeds on board. As for landowners who have title deeds but won?t sell, offer of land elsewhere should be explored. Muscle power is not an option?Nandigram should have taught the CPM that. But a thousand-odd people and one political leader?Mamata?surely should not be the reason why Bengal?s efforts to reinvent itself will fail. Remember, if Bengal can?t host Nano, plenty of other states will be only happy to.