Will do something for Singur, West Bengal CM signals fresh industrial push

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during the unveiling of the investment promotion policy, in Kolkata on November 5, 2026 | Photo Credit: PTI West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday (November 5, 2026) said that his government is in talks with multinational vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland for setting up a plant at Singur, signalling a fresh push for the site of Tata Nano project abandoned almost 18 years ago.“We will do something about Singur. Talks are on with Ashok Leyland,” the Chief Minister said.Speaking to media persons at an event to unveil “The West Bengal Investment Promotion Policy, 2026”, the Chief Minister said the withdrawal of Tatas from Singur in October 2008 over protests against forcible land acquisition is considered one of the defining setbacks of West Bengal’s dreams of an industrial revival. The protest against forcible land acquisition was led by Mamata Banerjee and after she came to power in 2011, Trinamool Congress government returned land to farmers.Mr. Adhikari had in the past said that the land at Singur now belongs to farmers and for setting up any industry, the land has to be acquired again.The Chief Minister said that his government will not use police to forcibly acquire land like the Left Front government, and not follow hands-off approach of Trinamool Congress government. “We will purchase lands ourselves. Talks are on with HUDCO, NABARD, ADB for funds to purchase lands. We have handed over land to companies in Panagarh and Haringhata,” Mr Adhikari said.The 34-page investment promotion policy has no reference of land and according to officials of the State government there will be a separate policy document on acquiring land for industries.The Chief Minister said that West Bengal government officials were studying land policies in industry-rich states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and also Uttar Pradesh for land purchase, pooling and development.Pointing out that his government over the past five months has handed over land to 33 business groups, including Amul, Vedanta Group, Campa Cola and Reliance, to set up new plants, Mr. Adhikari said that his government was a position to meet the current demand for industrial plots of around Rs 1 lakh crore over the next few months.The Chief Minister on Thursday (November 5, 2026) also issued a message to industries who are sitting on land allocated by the State government either to start new units in three months or return land back to the government at the price it was acquired. Several prominent captains of industry have met Mr. Adhikari over the past few weeks and promised to start new industries or expand their operations in West Bengal on the land they had acquired in the past. Published - November 06, 2026 07:03 am IST