Land for Land

• In case the pension scheme doesn’t break the deadlock, the govt is ready with a “land-for-land” deal. Land acquired for which compensation has been refused by farmers comes to around 220 acres — instead of 400 as is being claimed by Mamata Banerjee — and the government thinks this will go down with many opting for the pension scheme. For those insisting on land, the strategy is to accommodate them in about 15 acres the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation purchased outside the Tata Motors car plant area having anticipated a sharp hike in land rates.

• In addition, the WBIDC may also use its 47 acres in the plant premises that it has earmarked for “future use.” If more land is required, it might go in for fresh purchase from the open market. This land need not be contiguous so it can be purchased in patches over a scattered area.

• A senior official admitted that this was the “option of last resort” since land return may set off a whole new set of complications but it had this in its arsenal to ensure that Mamata responds to the talk offer. As the legal advisor to the Governor for Friday’s talks, Justice Chittotosh Mukherjee hinted today: “Things might ultimately boil down to land.”

Other Benefits:

• Distribution of shops in and around the plant or distribution of small plots to landlosers. A WBIDC official said that there was scope for setting up 10 feet X 10 feet shop-spaces to accommodate 12,000 beneficiaries.

... contd.