Ambani's SEZ a casualty under new UP policy

LUCKNOW: With the adoption of a new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy by the UP government, the Anil Ambani group’s proposal to set up an SEZ over about 2,000 acres of land in Noida, is all set to be turned down.

The state’s new SEZ policy was approved by the cabinet at its meeting presided over by chief minister Mayawati here on Saturday. Encompassing the provisions enacted by the Centre, the state’s new policy envisages land for the purpose of the SEZ would not be acquired forcibly under the land acquisition act (LAA).

This is a major shift in the new policy, which otherwise incorporates many other provisions for encouraging private-public partnership (PPP) and protecting the interest of farmers. As for the land acquisition, the policy states clearly that no coercive methods would be used under the LAA. For this purpose, land would be taken only after taking farmers into the confidence.

This way the policy would immediately affect the Anil Ambani’s group, which has fallen short of requisite land for its multi-purpose SEZ at Noida. A project submitted to this effect during the tenure of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government had already been referred to the Centre by the state government.

Under the existing policy, the Ambani group could have hoped for the government’s support in acquiring its requisite land under the LAA. But that is not possible any longer under the new policy that completely prohibits the compulsory land acquisition.

Asked to comment on this, principal secretary to the CM, Shailesh Krishna, said the SEZ proposal of the Anil Ambani group was now liable to be turned down under the new policy.

As for various incentives and concessions allowed with regard to the processing fees of land for the the purpose of the SEZ, Shailesh Krishna said that the state had decided to follow more or less the Central provisions.

Under the new policy, he said, fresh proposals would be invited and sent for the approval of the Centre after getting them screened by the state’s high-power committee.