The people of the state have seen the closure of factories during the Left Front era. This time the state government is thinking of building new industries on the land of those closed factories. For the first time in 2016, the state government took initiative to reuse the fallow land for the purpose of employment. Therefore, amendments were made in the ‘West Bengal Land Reforms Rules’ of 1975. This time Mamata Banerjee came to power with a hat trick. Therefore, he wants to open more doors for the employment of young men and women.
Meanwhile, the World Bengal Trade Conference is going to be held next April. The industrialists have to give a message there too. Investment must be drawn in the state. Therefore, the state government has taken initiative to increase investment and create employment for the establishment of industries on closed factory lands. The new ‘revelation’ of the state government in industrial establishment is either investment or return of land.
It is to be noted that in 1955-56, many lands were identified as ‘Khas’ in accordance with the Land Ceiling Rules. Mills, factories or workshops were then exempted under Section 6 (3) of the West Bengal Zamindari Acquisition Act, 1953. The owners of the factories were originally allowed to keep that land. But it cannot be handed over to anyone. Then many factories closed. The Land Reform Rules were amended in 2016 to re-use that unused land for industrial purposes. This time the state government wants to set up a factory on that land. And those who do not obey will have to return the land.
On the other hand, a high level meeting was held in Nabanne on the closed factory land. The Department of Land and Land Reforms is instructed to identify fallow lands. The work of that identification has come a long way. And the land will be handed over from the owners to those who are willing to invest. As a result, factories will be built there again. Young men and women will get jobs. The state government wants to harass the land owners. Because now the main objective of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is to build industry.