Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Saturday, promised a job for every family giving up his land for industry or power plants. He announced this while speaking at the inauguration of the first of the two 300-MW units of phase-I of the Sagardighi Power Project.
"With industrialists making a beeline for the state, demand for power is growing with every passing day. Though there are financial constraints, we will meet this demand. We will need more power plants and for this, land is required. There will be no food shortage in the state if farmers give up their land for industrialization. One member of every family giving up land will get a job," the chief minister said.
According to him, of the 1,890 acres required for SPP, only 1,600 acres has been acquired so far.
Nearly 800 workers are employed at the plant while 1,200 have got jobs outside. Work for the first phase began on February 8, 2004. The second 300-MW unit is expected to start production by May 2008.
The total project cost of the first phase is Rs 2,750 crore.
"We hope to complete the second phase by the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan. Those who get jobs in lieu of land will be trained," power minister Mrinal Banerjee said.
Source:The Times Of India,23-03-08
