For Tata in India: Industry vs. Farms
Tata Motors Limited is one of the largest passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturing companies in the world. Its headquarters are in Mumbai, India. It is a multinational corporation part of the Tata Group (Formerly known as Telco Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company). It has received The OICA ranking as one of the world’s largest automakers in 2006.
Established in 1945, the company started manufacturing locomotives. It wasn’t until 1954 however, that they manufactured its first commercial vehicle. Today, NYSE listed TATA among the best corporations in India surpassing revenues of over three-hundred twenty billion dollars. Tata launched their much anticipated vehicle, the Tata Nano, with a price tag of 100,000 Rs (the equivalent of $2,500) in January of 2008.
Yesterday he was a hero for having the initiative to build a non-expensive car for low income workers. Today he is known as the rich man who conspired with authorities to rob local farmers 400 acres of land. The land that they work off every single day. Land that they had in their family for over a hundred years.
To the outsider is seems that Tata is trying to help people who struggle for basic necessities the chance to be able to buy a commodity and give themselves a nice luxury. If I was asked I would say it is extremely generous of Tata to consider creating and alternative for people to transport themselves. However one has to think that these people live off of the land where Tata is going to build the plant. So it may seem nice for the first buy yet what will happen when these people have their land taken and would not be able to produce money to buy the car.
Another point that has to be considered ...