Ranchi, Nov. 4: Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda will lay the foundation stone of a new production unit of Tata Motors at Jamshedpur on November 14. The Tatas are setting up the unit in collaboration with Daewoo.

The next day, he will lay the foundation of another Tata unit, also in Jamshedpur. This is a colour coated steel production unit, the country’s first, being set up by the Tata group in partnership with Australian firm Blue Scope.

“November 14 is Nehru’s birthday and November 15 is Jharkhand’s foundation day,” said Munda. “If things proceed smoothly, Jharkhand will become a wonderland in the next 15 years.”

Unfazed by criticism that he is selling off the state to multinationals, Munda today took personal credit for both the plants. The chief minister claimed that he had persuaded the Tatas to set up the units in Jharkhand, and added that the colour-coated steel unit would be built at an investment of Rs 1,500 crore.

These two units indicate that the industry is getting all the required support from his government, Munda said. He vowed that no industry would suffer in Jharkhand because of his government.

The chief minister said renewal of the land lease for the Tatas was a strategic move that opened the floodgates of investment in the state by the conglomerate.

Speaking about the Opposition’s threat to chase away industries from the state, Munda said, “I pity them. I also understand their compulsions, but there is nothing to worry about.”

Munda is going on a two-week tour to the United States and Canada on November 18. He plans to meet World Bank officials as well as prospective investors in Washington.

In December, he is expected to attend the World Mining Congress at Tehran.