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TATA INVESTMENT TALKS

New discords surface

JASIM UDDIN KHAN
A number of discords have surfaced in the second round talks between the government and the Tata Group over the Indian giant's proposed US$2.5 billion investment.
Tata yesterday demanded official gas reserves figure from Bangladesh, a request that the government is not willing to keep.
Tata representatives at the meeting at the finance ministry said the proposed funders of the project -- the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank want to know the reserves figure as precondition to their firm commitment, a meeting insider said preferring anonymity.
Differences of opinion also crept up about methods of dispute settlement. Tata wants the British mechanism to apply in case of dispute while the government favours the
law of the land to government such settlement.
Bangladesh also tagged a condition that Tata has to go for coalbased power production to get the guarantee for 20 years' gas supply for its 4.20 lakh tonnes steel plant.
The Indian conglomerate yesterday came up with a revised figure for gas requirement -- 1.34 trillion cubic feet (TCF) for 30 years, scaled down from its previous 2 TCF -- but it still remains higher than the government's offer of 1.25 TCF.
Tata also wanted coal exploration licences for four blocks at Barapukuria and Phulbari coal fields, but the government said it is willing to give Tata only two blocks -first and second -- as the third and fourth ones have already been awarded to other companies.
The Group primarily expressed their interest for the alternative railway land at the Bheramar Upazila near Pakshi Bridge. Tata will prepare a fresh layout plan for its giant steel plant at the region in the new land within next 1.5 months.
After the meeting , Zakir Ahmed Khan, finance secretary and leader of the government negotiation team, said: "We are proceeding satisfactorily towards the investment deal."
Both sides agreed to follow the instance of Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge in land acquisition.
They also said a number of consultants will be appointed to assess introduction of a modern train scanning system for cross-border transportation of goods by Tata.
"Both the sides will appoint a number of consultants to get their opinions about the complex investment deal," Alan Rosling, executive director of Tata Group, said after the meeting.
Tata will again sit with the government on July 25 on the crucial tax incentive and gas and power pricing.
Tata seeks special tax incentive while the government wants to stick to the existing laws.