West Bengal keeps hopes alive

KUALA LUMPUR: West Bengal on Wednesday claimed that Nano will be made in Singur, although car maker Tata Motors had stomped out of the state in a huff last year.

"West Bengal lost the opportunity of being Nano's number one plant. However, Nano will definitely be made in West Bengal as Nano needs at least four to five plants," the state's principal industry secretary Sabyasachi Sen said.

He, however, did not state by when this would happen. Tata Motors still has its plant in Singur. Company chairman Ratan Tata, at the commercial launch of the people���s car on March 23, had said the factory shell was still intact in Singur ��� from where it quit over a land row fuelled by opposition Trinamool Congress party.

"Their plant (Tata's) in Singur is almost ready," Mr Sen said while seeking to explain the events leading to Tata Motors exit from the state. "Tata did not want to delay, it wanted to be in the market with the car before other small car makers entered the scene. Tatas also did not want any aggressive tactic to deal with the situation... They have a global reputation," said Mr Sen.