Even before the Central government came up with a fresh land acquisition Act and rehabilitation policy, the West Bengal government on Thursday announced its new rehabilitation package for the state’s farmers. Commerce and Industries Minister Nirupam Sen announced this at a function held at the office of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation where 14 companies were allotted 1,205 acres of land at various places of the state. According to Sen, the package offered at Singur had all the features mentioned in the new policy except free land for commercial purpose. “At Singur, we acquired 1,000 acres of land and earmarked 47 acres for community development where markets and shopping malls were supposed to come up. This land will be fully developed and given free of cost,” Sen said.
However, the Trinamool Congress critcised the move. “This government has got only five months’ time. It has no moral right to hand over land,” Partha Chatterjee, the leader of Opposition, said.