Calcutta, July 23: Industries minister Nirupam Sen told the Assembly today that the government had identified land “less conducive” to agriculture for large industries.

Tabling the industries budget, Sen said: “The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation has worked on all aspects of land requirement and it has emerged that land less conducive to intensive agri- culture will be best suited for large projects. Traditional industrial areas and proximity to ports should also be considered for such projects.”

“We have identified locations…where large projects can come up,” he added.

The industrial areas of North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly are some of the areas. Asansol and Durgapur subdivisions (in Burdwan) and contiguous areas of Bankura and Purulia have also been identified.

“Investors would be told to concentrate on these areas,’’ Sen said.

Several steel plants are set to come up in the Durgapur-Asansol belt and the minister said efforts would be made to bring in a few more as this area was not fertile.

Videocon, Bhushan Steel, Avijit Group and Shyam Steel are setting up plants in Burdwan, while the Jay Balaji group has gone to Raghunathpur in Purulia.

The industries minister today appealed to the Opposition, particularly the Trinamul Congress, to agree to talks to “take forward the state’s industrialisation drive’’.

Sen said he had written to the Trinamul zilla parishad chief of East Midnapore, requesting him for a dialogue on industry initiatives in and around Haldia. “Important projects are lined up in East Midnapore. I have urged the sabhadhipati for talks with me on the proposed shipyard, chemical hub and deep-sea port.”

On the Trinamul demand to return 400 acres from the plot acquired for Tata Motors in Singur, Sen said: “Can we afford to lose the Tata factory by returning the land? I had pla- ced our agreement with the Tatas in the House.”