In context of farmers’ agitation in Mandal-Becharji area where Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) is developing its manufacturing facility, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Wednesday urged the farmers at Hansalpur village that not to repeat the mistake of refusing land necessary for development. Patel was speaking at foundation stone laying ceremony of Suzuki Group’s car manufacturing plant at Hansalpur, nearly 100 km from Ahmedabad and at the trijunction of Mehsana, Surendranagar and Ahmedabad districts. The Chief Minister said that the intention of the Gujarat Government is not snatching farmers’ land but utilise the land for the development of the State which eventually give 10 times return to them.
Even if a highway passes from a village, land prices shoot up, she said adding that here a world-class manufacturing facility will come up which not only surge prices of locales but also generate employment opportunities for their children. “I fought an election from this area (Mandal constitueny) in 1998 and have seen villages and plight of the people.
Villages in the area were without basic amenities like road, education and health. However, since 1998 to 2015 under BJP ruled Government people are not only getting basic amenities but the fruits of development reached at their doorstep,” Patel said adding that on the barren land global company like Suzuki is setting up plant, which will create many opportunities for locales.
The Suzuki Group will set up three plants at Hansalpur with a total annual capacity of 7,50,000 vehicles. The first plant is scheduled to start production in mid-2017. The upcoming campus of Suzuki group will spread across 640 acres which include integrated vendor park too. Osamu Suzuki, Chairman and CEO of SMC said that under the make-in-India programme proposed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SMC will set up a state-of-the-art production plant in Gujarat.
"The comopany will invest nearly Rs 8,500 crore for all three plants. Once the first plant of SMC will become operational with 2.5 lakh production capacity, nearly 3,000 people will get direct employment," said RC Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India limited.