KOLKATA, India (AFP) — Talks to save an Indian plant slated to turnout the world's cheapest car, the Nano, have been scheduled for later this week, the state government said.
The Marxist government of West Bengal state announced it would hold talks on Friday with India's largest vehicle maker Tata Motors about the fate of the plant at Singur on the outskirts of state capital Kolkata.
"I will hold talks with Tata group chairman Ratan Tata on October 3 to resolve the deadlock," state chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee told reporters in local capital Kolkata.
"I will urge him to immediately restart work at the small car plant in Singur (town) and roll out Nano from the plant," the chief minister said, adding the government will provide any help it can to the company.
Tata began moving machinery from the nearly completed factory last Wednesday after weeks of demonstrations triggered by a land dispute halted construction on the site.
Protesters charge the state government forced farmers to give up their fertile land for a pittance so the plant could be built.
The government has said it would be a "big loss" to industry-starved West Bengal if Tata abandons the high-profile factory.
The plant, which has emerged as a symbol of the clashing interests of India's farmers and industry, cannot be a production site unless there is a "congenial atmosphere," the company has said.
The firm has promised to roll out the car, to be sold for 100,000 rupees (2,150 dollars), in the October to December financial quarter.
But it has said it will try to launch it as close to the traditionally big-spending festival season in October as possible.
The company has not said from where the vehicle aimed at making automobile transport affordable to ordinary Indians would roll out first, only saying it would be from one of its existing sites.
source:afp
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