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India is a land of farmers- tilled to fruition, cultivated painstakingly to feed a billion mouths. But the farmer remains ‘humble’ and powerless. He is swayed to wherever there is even an illusion of hope for better tidings.
West Bengal is a state that is not quite known for modern industry and economic concepts like SEZs, courtesy the Left rule. Buddhadeb brought along a fresh breath and ran into trouble for that. For he sought to liberalize land ownsership policies to favour industry, something opposite of what the comrades did 30 years ago when they first came to power- redistribution of land in favour of small farmers.
The Opposition was on a lookout for an issue to return to the reckoning of the bhadralok. It got that in Nandigram and Singur at the cost of many innocent lives, ambitious industrialization plans, capital in thousands of crores and investor trust; the last one being the most difficult to restore and essential for beginning life anew.
But money is a small thing for people like Ratan Tata- they have made and lost billions since generations. For, arguably, the most philanthropic business house in India, it is the people who work for them that really matter. The solid and credible culture of friendly employer-employee ties that JRD created at TISCO is still alive and guides the Tata policy decisions- as was visible when an anguished but sure Ratan Tata announced his decision to move out the legendary Nano car project from West Bengal to Gujarat.
The truce between Mamata Banerjee and the state government was destined to fail as there was no way that any prudent businessman would compromise his expansion plans. But ambiguity reigned supreme between the parties to the agreement and in the end the state suffered. Mamata wanted all of the land she had demanded, not just a part of it.
The entire episode led to questions on not just West Bengal’s economic future but India’s openness about change. The SEZ plan has been successfully implemented world over- especially in China. It had also become an economic policy of the Centre to develop as many SEZs as possible, but now there is careful consideration before any decision.
In pics: Smallest, cheapest car»
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