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Patna, (Bihar Times): Instead of rolling out tractors the International Tractors, the manufacturer of Solanika tractors, has decided to roll-back. The news came as a big embarrassment to the chief minister, Nitish Kumar, personally as it was he, who on November 18 last inaugurated this plant in Fatuha, some 30 km east of Patna, with much pomp and show.

The company has submitted a formal application for the return of its initial amount of Rs one crore deposited with the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA). Bihar is the biggest market of Sonalika tractor and farm equipment. The Fatuha unit was supposed to cater to the need of market in Jharkhand, West Bengal and east Uttar Pradesh.

Though L D Mittal, chairman of the Sonalika Group of companies, made big promise at the time of inauguration, media reports say that there are possibly two reasons for this roll-back. Firstly, the company is not finding the work environment conducive. Secondly, it was, from the very outset, not interested in setting up industry or assembling unit here, but only wanted to use the land in Fatuha as warehousing hub for its market in eastern India. As per the clause Sonalika has demanded its amount back from BIADA within six months of depositing it.




There is no dearth of people who may now say that Fatuha is a jinxed place. Its first phase of industrialization in 1977-78 failed to take off notwithstanding the then chief minister Karpoori Thakur’s personal initiative. Among other things it was planned to open a scooter factory and a tractor plant.



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