Britannia 'fully commited', not leaving state: Bengal government amid row
Britannia 'fully commited', not leaving state: Bengal government amid row
The West Bengal government has clarified thatBritannia Industries Limited was not leaving the state after a political row erupted over the closure of its historic factory in Kolkata's Taratala neighbourhood.
Chief Economic Advisor to the West Bengal government Amit Mitra on Tuesday said he spoke with Varun Berry,Managing Director of Britannia, who told him that the company was "fully committed" to West Bengal.
"It's registered office will stay in Kolkata. The shareholders meeting will continue to be in Kolkata," Mitra said, adding that the Kolkata factory was shut down as it was outdated.
Mitra said that Berry told him that the company wanted to build Britannia "strength to strength" in the state.
Notably, the Britannia factory in Taratala, which was established in 1947, was not only one of the oldest in the company's portfolio but also carried historical significance as one of its second-ever production units in India.
The closure of the factory, which ceased production in May, affects122 permanent employees and approximately 250 contractual staff, many of whom have been with the factory for over a decade.
Britannia has issued closure notices to the affected employees, offering a lump-sum compensation package. Permanent employees with over ten years of service are promised Rs 22 lakh, while those with seven years of service are set to receive Rs 18 lakh.
A war of words erupted between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress after the announcement of the factory's closure on Monday.
While the BJP accused the TMC over the unit's closure, the ruling party in West Bengal said it was due to the company's internal management issues.