Each Nano will cost Rs 60,000 to Gujarat exchequer: Gohil

Tata Nano looks set to get embroiled in yet another political controversy with the Congress seeking to make it the centerpiece of its campaign against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Questioning the incentives and concessions given to Tata Motors for its small car project by the Gujarat government, the Congress on Thursday claimed each Nano would cost

Rs 60,000 to the state exchequer.

"The full title of 1,100 acres of land was given to Tata Motors. A host of other incentives have been given: no stamp duty on registration fee for transfer of land, huge loan at 0.01 per cent interest rate, free supply of 14,000 cubic meter water, tax-free round-the-clock electricity supply of 220 KVA. If you calculate, one Nano will cause a loss of Rs 60,000 to the Gujarat exchequer," Shaktisinh Gohil, Leader of the Opposition in Gujarat Assembly, told reporters in New Delhi.

Claiming other employment-generating sectors like diamond polishing and textiles, which had been badly hit by economic downturn, had attracted little attention of the BJP regime, Gohil said the Congress had launched block-level conventions across the state to highlight how big industries were given incentives and concessions while small ones continued to perish. As many as 62,000 small and medium scale industries had closed down in the last 11 months, he added.

On Tuesday, Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata had joined the captains of the Indian industry, including Anil Ambani and Sunil Mittal, in lauding Modi at the fourth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit. Under Modi's leadership, Gujarat stood head and shoulders above other states, said Ratan Tata, who had shifted the base of his small car project from West Bengal to Gujarat following prolonged opposition in the Left-ruled state.

On Wednesday, the Congress had reacted sharply to the praise heaped on the chief minister, advising them not to give character certificate to someone whose edifice was built "on dead bodies".

... contd.

ALSO READ

Modi addresses farmers, blames Centre for delay in Narmada gates

'Top cop Pandey, now on run, plotted Ishrat encounter with IB man'

NIA nabs 2 Ajmer Sharif blast suspects in Vadodara

Youth shot, Amreli tense as groups clash