Singur, June 26 (IANS) The West Bengal government Sunday officially began the process of returning land here to farmers from whom it was taken allegedly against their will by the Left regime for a Tata car plant.

"Application forms for return of land are being distributed by the Block Development Office and Krisi Jami Raksha Committee," committee convener Becharam Manna told IANS.

"We will try to complete the process today itself," said Manna, a member of the 19-member committee set up by the government to look into the Singur land distribution.

Tata Motors abandoned the 997.17-acre site in October 2008 following protests by farmers led by the then opposition Trinamool Congress, which wanted the return of 400 acres taken allegedly from unwilling farmers.

West Bengal's new government passed a legislation scrapping the land lease given to the company by the former Left Front government for the Nano small car plant. The company has moved the Calcutta High Court.