WB seeks end to sops for industrialisation in states

BARASAT: West Bengal has started making noise about concessions extended to select states to promote industrialisation, saying such sops affected its own ability to attract huge private investments.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, addressing a CPI-M rally today, said he had talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the industrial package extended to hilly states, particularly Uttarakhand, which is trying to wean away Tata Motors from Singur by promising tax holidays.

Under the Centre's industrial package, industries setting up shop in states including Uttarakhand before March 31, 2010 would enjoy exemption from excise duty, besides income tax holiday up to March 31, 2013.

Bhattacharjee said Uttarakhand has reportedly informed Tata Motors that the company would accrue benefits to the tune of Rs 18,000 crore over a period of time if it relocated its small-car plant to the hilly state.

Talking of industry, Bhattacharjee said investment proposals worth Rs 78,000 crore had been received by his government during 2006-07, compared to Rs 32,000 crore in 2005-06.

The investment proposals included a steel-making factory at Salboni worth Rs 35,000 crore and another at Purulia worth Rs 11,000 crore, he said.