Government Weighs Direct Jobs and Indirect Enterprise Models for Landowners

Kolkata, 24 August – West Bengal’s forthcoming industrial policy may incorporate a novel approach to land acquisition by offering landowners a choice between direct employment and indirect business opportunities within new industrial ventures.

According to a senior officer involved in drafting the policy, the first model would reserve a salaried position for a family member of the landowner inside the newly established unit. The alternative model would empower landowners to set up cooperative‑style enterprises that deliver non‑technical, supportive services to the primary industry, such as providing workwear, delivering meals, or managing transport.

The official highlighted that auxiliary industries are integral to both manufacturing and service‑sector hubs. While "direct" ancillary firms typically supply specialised machinery and are less suited for landowner involvement, "indirect" firms—often labour‑intensive and locally rooted—present ample scope for participation.

The policy aims to rectify the land‑related disruptions that marked the previous Left Front government’s tenure, when agitation over projects in Singur and Nandigram stalled development. By aligning landowner interests with the success of the industrial unit, the state hopes to mitigate future resistance.

The draft also reaffirms the ministry’s focus on sectors demanding strong ancillary networks, including textiles, steel, heavy electrical equipment, automobiles, IT, and electronics, while the northern region will pursue a "triple‑T" strategy centred on tea, timber and tourism.