Karnataka offers land to Tata Motors for Nano project

Karnataka Government has offered 1,000 acres of land if Tata Motors relocates its small car Nano project from Singur in West Bengal to its state.

After holding a crucial meeting with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in Bangalore on Thursday and discussing the feasibility of setting up the Nano car plant in Karnataka, Managing Director of Tata Motors’ Ravikant claimed that Karnataka Government had offered 1,000 acres of land and all the incentives needed to relocate the small car project.

Yeddyurappa expressed confidence that Tata Motors will take decision to shift to Karnataka shortly.

“If they (Tata Motors) wish to relocate, the Government of Karnataka will give them all the support and facilities. They were very receptive to our proposal. We are confident of a positive outcome in view of our excellent relationship”, the Chief Minister said apparently referring to the two plants of Tata Motors, which are already functioning in Dharwad district of Karnataka.

As the main Nano plant and the ancillary units have to be together, the representatives from Tata Motors have made it clear to the Government that they would require a total of 1,000 acres of land as their project was integrated in nature. “If we need to relocate, we need to have 1,000 acres”, Ravikant told reporters.

Though the company was actively looking for an alternative site to relocate its plant from Singur, where the Opposition Trinamool Congress party is protesting against the acquisition of land for Tata Motors, Ravikant said a final decision in the matter is yet to be taken.

Ravikanth said the other possible sites for the small car project include Pantagar in Uttarakhand, where Tata manufactures mini trucks, and Pune in Maharashtra, where the company has already carried out test production for Nano.