Winning Bizness Desk

Mumbai.Nearly two decades after the Tata Group walked out of Singur following one of India's most contentious land acquisition battles, the possibility of its return has once again sparked debate across West Bengal. The BJP government in the state has initiated preliminary discussions with the conglomerate, calling the move a key step towards restoring investor confidence. Industry Minister Tapas Roy has said the government will not allot the Singur site to any other company if Tata agrees to return, while Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is personally monitoring the initiative. The proposal has revived old memories of the Nano project, which became a turning point in Bengal's political history after Mamata Banerjee led a prolonged agitation against the land acquisition.

Voices of families still waiting

For thousands of families that surrendered land in 2006, the proposed return represents more than an industrial project—it is about reclaiming opportunities that never materialised. Around 3,600 affected families continue to receive monthly government assistance of Rs 2,000 and 16 kg of rice, yet many say financial aid has not compensated for the loss of livelihoods and shattered expectations.

Some of the stories from Singur include:

• Seventy-five-year-old Angur Das says her husband gave six bighas of land for the Nano project but never recovered from Tata's exit before his death in 2019.
• Anidya Das, who was just 12 during the Singur movement, now commutes daily to Kolkata for work and believes a functioning factory could have transformed local employment.
• Swarup Das recalls that his brothers had already been selected for Tata's mechanical engineering training in Uttarakhand before the project was abandoned, ending their hopes of secure jobs.

Many former landowners now say they would again be willing to part with their land if a major manufacturing project returns.

Land costs emerge as biggest hurdle

Despite growing optimism, industry experts believe the economics of a Tata comeback may be far more challenging than they were in 2006. Dr Udayan Das, president of the Singur Shilpa Unnayan Committee, says land prices in the region have risen nearly fifteen-fold over the past two decades.

Key figures underline the challenge:

• Roadside land valued at nearly Rs 3 lakh per bigha in 2006 is now estimated to be worth around Rs 1 crore per bigha.
• Compensation alone could exceed Rs 1,300 crore if fresh acquisition becomes necessary.
• The original industrial land spread across nearly 997 acres.

These factors, observers say, could significantly influence any future negotiations between the government and the Tata Group.

Factory site lies largely abandoned

The land earmarked for the Nano project remains largely unused even after nearly 20 years. Large stretches are covered with shrubs, while only small pockets are under cultivation. Once regarded as one of West Bengal's most fertile agricultural belts producing paddy, potatoes and vegetables, the region has witnessed declining agricultural activity after the project stalled. Many younger residents migrated to Kolkata and other cities in search of employment, leaving behind an economy that has struggled to regain momentum.

Debate over development remains alive

The renewed push has also reopened the long-running debate between industrialisation and farmland protection. Members of the Singur Krishi Raksha Committee maintain that their opposition was never against industry but against acquiring highly fertile three-crop agricultural land. Committee leader Prabir Patra says they would oppose any future proposal that threatens productive farmland, even while supporting industrial development on suitable land. This continuing divide suggests that any revival plan will require careful balancing of industrial growth with farmers' concerns.

Government eyes symbolic industrial revival

For the BJP government, bringing the Tata Group back to West Bengal carries significance beyond a single manufacturing unit. Officials believe the return of one of India's largest business houses would send a strong message to domestic and global investors that Bengal is once again open for large-scale industry. Whether the Tata Group eventually returns to Singur or another location, the initiative has already revived one of the state's most defining industrial and political chapters. The final outcome will depend on land economics, investor confidence and the government's ability to address concerns that once forced one of India's biggest industrial projects to leave the state.