THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY Durgapur Steel Plant

NE is amazed at the Bengali's His plans look sensible on paper. circles that Durgapur is to be by­ O capacity of saying "no" to There is no doubt about his inge­ passed even for the second State- anything and everything. In Cal­ nuity. When he finds New Delhi owned steel plant. cutta, even a polytechnic student is opposed to his plans, he replies that expected to be familiar with the he will push his projects through There is, at the same time, sur-, modern trends in art and literature. with the help of resources mobilised prise that, if New Delhi is of the But the Bengali has become poly­ from within the State. So, in spite opinion that Durgapur is not a suit­ technic-conscious. He is in favour of New Delhi's reported opposition, able location for a steel plant, how of rapid industrialisation. He is his Government invites international could the Government sanction the aware that West Bengal must in­ tenders for the coke oven plant at Birla-British proposal for erecting a dustrialise or perish. But when the Durgapur; he introduces a Bill in steel plant at Durgapur? According Government introduces a Bill for the the Assembly for forming a Corpo­ to reports, this private steel concern, industrial development of West ration, with powers to raise loans sponsored by the Birlas in combina­ Bengal, the Assembly debates it and issue shares, to execute his tion with a British firm, will receive clause by clause; the people dis­ grandiose projects. financial aid from the recently-form­ approve of the measure. ed Development Corporation. Al- " NO," THE PEOPLE SAY though the Government is not direct­ There was a time when the Gov­ His predecessor would not have ly concerned in providing financial ernment in West Bengal could evoke help to the proposed Durgapur steel sympathy by insinuating New Delhi's pursued some of his tactics. But his plant, the question is being asked apathy to the development of West predecessor could have evoked en­ as to how the Government could Bengal. It is significant that Dr B thusiastic support from the people sanction the location of a private C Roy, West Bengal's Chief Minis­ for the policies and schemes which steel plant at Durgapur while it is ter, has impliedly made similar in­ Dr B C Roy now pursues without against starting a State-owned steel sinuations without evoking much any popular support or backing. plant there. support of the people. Not the All this because Dr Roy is widely average Bengali, but Calcutta's suspect as the most non-Bengali DURGAPUR STEEL PLANT Marwari industrialists seem to lend Bengali. His alleged association with support to Dr Roy in his implied the Marwari business community is Wider issues are involved in the stand that New Delhi is obstructing the main reason behind his unpopu­ reported plan for erecting a private his plans for the industrial develop­ larity. He is openly accused of sell­ steel plant at Durgapur. These ment of West Bengal. ing West Bengal to the Marwaris. issues relate to the problems of de­ So, the average Bengali says " no" marcation between private and Nothing would please a Bengali to whatever he does or proposes. public sectors of the economy. Far more than the construction of the more intriguing is the joint public. Ganga Barrage at Farakka, or the This explains why the report that and private enterprise in any single erection of a soda ash and of a coke plans are well under way for start­ industry. But the average Bengali oven plant at Durgapur, or a steel ing a steel plant at Durgapur by the is not as much interested in these plant at Durgapur. All these pro­ Birlas, in combination with a Bri­ problems of mixed economy as in jects are essential for the economic, tish firm, has not evoked much the fact that non-Bengali private agricultural and industrial progress enthusiasm in West Bengal. Yet. interests are proposing to start a of West Bengal. Recent develop­ there was sincere disappointment steel plant at Durgapur. He is in ments indicate that the prospects throughout West Bengal when it for the Ganga Barrage at Farakka became known that New Delhi had favour of a steel plant at Durgapur, and for the steel plant at Durgapur accepted Rourkella as the site for But he would prefer such a project are now better. But the average the third steel plant in preference to to he State-owned so that he can Bengali is not happy about the way Durgapur. Here, it is necessary to have the maximum scope and op­ in which these projects are being put on record that there is more portunities for employment. planned. enthusiasm even for. Dr B C Roy's To avoid any possible misunder­ plans for a coke oven plant at standing, it is necessary to add a CHIEF MINISTER'S PLANS Durgapur than the BirIa-British pro- footnote. One of the most vital Dr Roy is a tall person. He now posed steel combine at Durgapur. objectives of a correspondent is to rules West Bengal from the tallest interpret the people about whom he building in Calcutta. He is surpris­ THE BIRLA PROJECT is reporting. This page is devoted ingly active and agile for his age. A team of Russian steel experts to analysing the socio-economic He has no following among the is now in New Delhi. These Russian events and their reactions among people or in the West Bengal Con­ experts are having discussions with the people in this Suite. It is this gress Party. But he manages to their opposite numbers in India on writer's concern, and aim, to dis­ continue as the Chief Minister of the proposed second State-owned cern the people's responses to such the Congress Government in West steel plant in this country. There developments. Observations made Bengal because of lack of any effec­ are unconfirmed reports that this here do not necessarily imply that tive, combined opposition from the plant may be located somewhere in this writer accepts the popular various Congress groups. He domi­ Madhya Pradesh, In Calcutta, New theories and arguments, or that he nates his Cabinet. He exploits the Delhi's decision to choose Rourkella endorses the people's responses to comfortable Congress majority in the in preference to Durgapur as the socio-economic developments with­ Assembly to secure the sanction for site for a steel plant is not endorsed out question, or that the people's the measures he formulates. fully. There is resentment in some reactions are always right. 1323