Suvendu Adhikari Rules Out Forcible Land Acquisition, Promises Land Banks for Industries

PTI, Nov 5, 2026, Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday ruled out both the Left Front's policy of forcible land acquisition and the Trinamool Congress' approach of letting industries buy land without government support, promising instead to create land banks for investors, as he unveiled the state's new Investment Promotion Policy.

Adhikari said the state was well-positioned to facilitate fresh investments of around Rs 1 lakh crore in the coming months, citing land availability and several projects in the pipeline, though he acknowledged that the government was currently unable to clear an accumulated incentive backlog of nearly Rs 50,000 crore.

"We will neither have a forcible land acquisition policy like the Left Front nor will we have a flawed land policy like the Trinamool, asking industries to buy their own land without any support from the government," Adhikari said.

"We are making arrangements to buy land for creating a land bank for industries," he said, asserting that his government was committed to industrialisation and creating an industry-friendly atmosphere in the state.

He said the government was working to make land available to investors through existing industrial parks, recovered plots and a proposed land bank, while also exploring funding arrangements for land purchase.

The Chief Minister accused the CPI(M) of destroying West Bengal's industrial base through aggressive trade union politics, while alleging that the Trinamool's "flawed" land policy had contributed to the failure of its industrialisation efforts over the last 15 years.

"We have a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of extortion from industry. Strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in such activities," he said.

The Chief Minister also alleged that nearly Rs 20,000 crore of the state's revenue had been siphoned off by "anti-nationals and mafia" during the previous Trinamool regime.

The new Investment Promotion Policy seeks to attract fresh investments, accelerate industrialisation and generate employment by offering incentives to industries, with a particular focus on job creation and investment in less-industrialised areas.

The policy provides for higher assistance to units in thrust sectors and priority areas, while promising fixed timelines for approvals and payments.