West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that preliminary discussions have been held with Ashok Leyland to establish a commercial heavy vehicle manufacturing unit in Singur.

The proposal aims to revive industrial activity at the site associated with the withdrawal of the Tata Nano project nearly two decades ago. The announcement was made while Adhikari was unveiling the state's new investment promotion policy in New Town.

He stated that the government had held preliminary discussions with the commercial vehicle manufacturer and intended to pursue industrial development in Singur.

"We will certainly do something in Singur. We have held preliminary talks with a reputed commercial heavy vehicle manufacturer, Ashok Leyland," Adhikari said.

However, the chief minister cautioned against making premature announcements, stating that his government would not sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) merely to generate publicity. Instead, it would focus on projects that could be implemented.

Adhikari also assured that future industrial development in Singur would not involve coercive land acquisition. "There will be no firing on farmers during land acquisition for industry," he said, referring to the violent protests surrounding the acquisition of farmland for the Tata Motors plant under the then Left Front government.

Singur became a significant point in West Bengal's political and industrial history after Tata Motors abandoned its Nano project in 2008 following a prolonged agitation led by Mamata Banerjee, who was then the opposition leader. The project had been initiated by the government led by then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee after the 2006 Assembly elections. The movement against the acquisition of farmland helped Banerjee mobilise opposition to the Left Front government and resulted in Tata Motors relocating the project to Sanand in Gujarat.

The proposed Ashok Leyland facility remains at the preliminary discussion stage. The state government is seeking to attract large-scale manufacturing investment while avoiding a repeat of the contentious land acquisition process that contributed to the withdrawal of the Nano project. The proposal could provide an opportunity to re-establish Singur as an industrial centre.

Adhikari also highlighted the broader economic challenges facing West Bengal, including domestic unemployment and the migration of workers. The proposed manufacturing project forms part of the state's efforts to balance industrial expansion with alternative development models.