Monday, March 7, 2011

Tata Motors spreads wings in Uttarakhand

In the just concluded CII expo at Haridwar, auto major Tata Motors showcased its yet-to-be-launched Ace Zip commercial vehicle.

The vehicle, which will be launched shortly this year, will have a capacity to carry 500 kg load, the company officials told Business Standard.

With Tata group exploring new investment opportunities in Uttarakhand, its auto manufacturing arm is all set to introduce two to three new models of commercial and passenger vehicles from the Pantnagar manufacturing facility. It has also decided to double its production to 500,000 vehicles from 250,000 vehicles per year.

The company recently introduced a new eight-seater passenger van, ‘Venture’, from Pantnagar.

“We will be introducing two to three new models of commercial as well as passenger vehicles this year,” said the officials. After the production of ultra small car Nano from Pantnagar, the company is now mainly focussing on commercial and passenger vehicles now, they said.

Significantly, the expansion programme of Tata Motors’ Pantnagar plant came close on the heels of a visit of a high level team of top officials of different companies of Tata group like Tata Motors and TCS last month to Dehradun to explore new investment opportunities in the hill state. They evinced interest in different sectors like power, housing, tourism and IT sectors in Uttarakhand as a follow-up to the last November 15 visit of Chairman Ratan Tata here.

Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is optimistic the Tata group would undertake substantial expansion at the Pantnagar plant in view of the recent clarification by the Central Board of Customs and Excise that the existing companies are entitled for full excise exemption in case they go for expansion and introduce new models.

Nishank also said he is positive on Tata group making new investments in the hill state. “We are confident that Tata group will invest more in our state besides expanding its existing Pantnagar auto manufacturing plant,” Nishank said. Nishank also said Tata group would continue to produce Nano cars from Pantnagar plant which is all set to become Asia’s biggest auto hub.

Nishank said he was expecting Tata group to invest Rs 10,000 crore in the state, which in turn would create 50,000 jobs.

BS

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