Tatas to invest more if West Bengal ceased hosility

Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata yesterday said that West Bengal could look forward to further investments from the group when the group would find that it faced no hostility.

"When there is a feeling to satisfy that there is no hostility against us, we will invest in the state," Tata said at the annual general meeting of Tata Global Beverages (formerly Tata Tea) in Kolkata.

"We have several investments in West Bengal. Tata Steel has certain investments in the state along with TCS and India Hotels. New investments will come when opportunities arise," he said.

Responding to a question regarding Singur, Tata said, the Nano plant was set up without any ulterior motive "but to come to a place ignored by the industry for long and fondness for the people for West Bengal".

After it assumed power in May, the new government under Mamata Banerjee passed the Singur Land Development and Rehabilitation Act to take repossession of the land from the Tata Motors, a move challenged in the Calcutta High Court by the group.

Reserving his comment, on the possibility for an out-of-court settlement, due to the case being sub judice, Tata said, ''I cannot make comment and allocation of land should not be made before the court takes any decision."