TATA Singur Project

(A case study)
By,

COE10B019 COE10B020 EDM10B019 MDM10B019 EDM09B003

Introduction
Singur is in Hooghly district, around 45 kilometres from Kolkata. TATA tries to set up their manufacturing unit for their Nano project. 997 acres of farmland provided. Protests by people and opposition parties. Project finally moved to Gujarat.

Background

Decay in growth of industries in West Bengal. Promise of employment by TATA. Hasty decision by the government. 400 acres of agricultural land. Highly fertile land with 83% irrigation and 220% crop density. Major employment is agriculture.

Background

Improper use of Land Acquisition act of 1894 by state govt. Improper survey by the govt authorities. 2000 owners out of 13000 did not accept compensation.

Factual Issues

Declared SEZ by Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Low operating cost .

Subsidy provided by state govt.

Factual Issues

Land Acquisition act of 1894. Without consent of people. Less compensation. Took decision without considering the consequences.

Conceptual Issues

Opposition leader Mamata Banerjees support to the protest.

Low subsidy and operating cost.

Moral Issues

People were deprived of their lands without their consent and enough compensation. Given the knowledge that the lands provided were fertile, the government gave the lands to the company. The company started the construction of the plant even though there were severe protests from the public.

Moral Issues

TATA movement was an utter failure and loss to state

Data

Causes

More than 60% of the farmers just knew two things i.e. their land is going to be taken away and a factory is going to come up in its place, implying that they would die of hunger and abject poverty.

No presence of political workers who would explain to the farmers the pros and cons of giving up land for industrial benefits and which would help them in turn.

Causes

According to some reports the government officials also committed crime in dealing with the agitated localites of Singur. Brutality by the govt. officials on the public who resisted to sign the documents and this lead to the public sentiment and protest.

Causes

The opposition made use of this huge gulf between the government and the people and extracted maximum political mileage out of it. The procedure under the Land Acquisition Act 1894 was not followed fully and fairly. The compensation was only monetary and no state level rehabilitation policy was ordered.

Observation

Theories Utilitarianism

Government

Company

Public

Cost Analysis
Duty and Right Ethics Virtue Ethics

Conclusion

Govt. gave ahead without proper planning and measures. TATA started constructing the plant in midst of turmoil. People were concerned only about their side of the coin. Despite the protests the rightful owners did not receive the land until now.

Conclusion

The project was welcomed by Govt. of Gujarat.

Finally , its the government alone which is responsible for this controversy.

Thank You