Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday said his government had held preliminary discussions with commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland about a possible investment in Singur.
However, he made it clear that the state would not rush into signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) merely to generate publicity.
"We will certainly do something in Singur. We have held preliminary discussions with the reputed commercial heavy vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland. But we do not want to sign only an MoU and create a publicity stunt," Adhikari said while unveiling Bengal's new industrial policy at an event in New Town.
No repeat of Singur Land Acquisition row
The proposed investment comes against the backdrop of one of Bengal's most contentious industrialisation episodes.
Singur became the centre of a major political confrontation after the then Left Front government, led by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, acquired land for Tata Motors' Nano manufacturing plant following the 2006 Assembly elections.
The project encountered sustained opposition from farmers over the acquisition of multi-crop agricultural land.
The agitation was spearheaded by then Opposition leader Mamata Banerjee, eventually prompting the Tata Group to withdraw from Singur and relocate the Nano project to Gujarat.
After the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, Banerjee's government returned land to farmers who had been unwilling to part with their plots.
Addressing concerns over land acquisition, Adhikari said his government would ensure that industrial development did not come at the cost of violence against farmers.
"There will be no firing on farmers during land acquisition for industry," he said.
Adhikari takes aim at previous industrial policy
The chief minister also criticised the previous government's approach to attracting investments, questioning the outcome of the Bengal Global Business Summit organised under the earlier administration.
"The previous government used to spend crores of rupees on the Bengal Global Business Summit, but nothing substantial came of it. We will not follow that path," he said.
Adhikari stressed that his government would focus on bringing investments that translate into actual industrial projects and employment opportunities rather than making announcements through MoUs that fail to materialise.
Up to 120% incentives for large industries
The newly unveiled industrial policy seeks to attract investments by offering incentives of up to 120 per cent for large industries.
The policy also provides additional benefits to industrial units that use environment-friendly electricity and employ women.
The government is considering financial grants for setting up hostels for working women as part of its broader push to encourage women's participation in the workforce.
With preliminary discussions with Ashok Leyland underway, Singur could once again find itself at the centre of Bengal's industrialisation debate. Whether the proposed investment translates into a concrete project remains to be seen.