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West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress government had revived the Kulpi Port project in 2019, where it said Dubai-based DP World would invest. The state government will also hold a stake in an industrial park expected to come up around the port area. The ₹3,000 crore project is forecast to generate at least 10,000 jobs.
Unemployment is high in Kulpi and its adjacent areas which are going to polls in the third phase of elections on April 6. Young people from the villages go to work in the southern states to make a living. Locals said they had been compensated financially for the land. But they also want the project to come up so that they get job.The Kulpi constituency is known to be a stronghold of the TMC despite defections and factional feud within the party.
“Land acquisition process was undertaken and we have been compensated financially. We have given land for the project but are still living in our old houses. We have not been told to vacate the land and nothing has come up in the area,” said Uma Poddar of Karanjali village in the constituency.When ET visited the project site, around 6kms from the national highway, there were some fishing boats on the river. While most of the land was lying vacant, there were a few brick kilns where the locals worked.
“After acquiring the land, the government officials have told us one member from every family will get a job. Our sons and family members work in Bengaluru. We will be happy if they get a job here,” said Mita Saha, a villager.
In neighbouring Moshamari village, people hardly have any clear idea about the port. “We are poor villagers and work in the brick kiln. We have heard about the port but have not seen any activity,” said Mangal Murari, a labourer.
“There is hardly any job here … A port in the area will give us employment,” said another woman.Asked about the status of the Kulpi Port, a spokesperson of the central government-run Kolkata Port Trust said: “The land where the Kulpi port will be developed belongs to the Kolkata Port Authority. But as Kulpi Port was a state government project, we have no idea about its status.”
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