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Nano car plant protest suspended | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Opposition groups in the Indian state of West Bengal who have been blocking construction work at a Tata Motors plant have suspended their protests. | |
The move came after the state government promised to return some land at the plant site that is owned by the government. | |
Tata Motors stopped work last week on the plant where it plans to build the Nano, the world's cheapest car. | |
Tata had threatened to move production elsewhere if the protests continued. | Tata had threatened to move production elsewhere if the protests continued. |
"The government has taken the decision to respond to the demand of those farmers who have not received compensation," said Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the governor of West Bengal. | "The government has taken the decision to respond to the demand of those farmers who have not received compensation," said Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the governor of West Bengal. |
'Big victory' | |
Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the main opposition Trinamul Congress party leading the protests, described the agreement as a big victory. | |
A committee is to decide the details of the land return next week. | A committee is to decide the details of the land return next week. |
Tata did not take part in the talks between the West Bengal government and the protesters. | Tata did not take part in the talks between the West Bengal government and the protesters. |
The government agreed to return the maximum possible land within the plant site outside Calcutta to "unwilling farmers" who were against acquisition of their farms. | |
The opposition groups, led by the Trinamul Congress party, agreed to the government's proposal to provide the rest from around the plant site. | |
class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7431881.stm">Exclusive look at the Tata Nano | |
Tata Motors, India's biggest vehicle makers, will retain 650 acres of land for the plant. The ancillary factories for the plant will get the 290 acres allotted to them. | |
West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya said that the government had some land inside the plant site where it had planned some commercial parks and a green patch. | |
"That land may be given to the farmers," he said. | |
The West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi said the agreement was a "victory for all, for industry and agriculture, for the government and the opposition". | |
Tata had faced violent protests and political opposition over the acquisition of farmland for the factory in Singur in the state of West Bengal. | |
Tata's owner, Ratan Tata, has said he will consider moving production of the Nano out of West Bengal if unrest around the plant continues. | |
Tata plans to launch the Nano later this year, priced at about $2,500 (£1,370) from the plant in West Bengal. | |
India's rapid industrialization in recent years has been the backbone of the country's strong economic growth. | |
But this process has provoked a backlash since the majority of Indians still earn their living off the land. | |
The policy of creating special economic zones to attract new investment has provided a focal point for the anger of poorer, rural families who rely on their land for food and income. |