Kolkata, Jan 9 (IANS): Asia's third largest paint maker Asian Paints Friday said until there is clarity on power, land and water availability in West Bengal, it will not consider setting up a manufacturing unit in the state.

"Time will come (when) we'll have a plant here but ... Bengal is not easy for land," the company's managing director and CEO K.B.S. Anand said on the sidelines of the 27th Indian Paint Conference here.

He said the supply and flow of electricity is crucial for the company to start its manufacturing plant in the state.

"Reliability of power is more important than the price of power. If I am going to have a back-up and operate on DG (diesel generator) sets, then it is expensive. If you give me 100 percent guarantee of generated power then it is a viable proposition," he said.

Asked for the company's plans for West Bengal, Anand said: "At this moment, there is none. Let clarity first come on land, water and power."

He said since the paints companies are considered red industry, environmental clearances and procedures may hinder the company's prospects in the state.

Besides, since the company's supply chain is centred around Mumbai and India's western part, which incidentally is also the largest market for the paint maker, its focus is more on that region, he noted.

"A lot of raw material comes from the west (India) and the bigger market is in the west. So east will come probably a little further down the line," Anand said.