Gujarat govt removes 36 villages from special investment region

AHMEDABAD: Bowing to the opposition from farmers, Gujarat government today announced removal of 36 villages from the Special Investment Region (SIR) in Mandal Becharaji region, limiting it only to eight villages.

"Government had earlier notified 44 villages....However, due to representations of farmers, 36 villages have been de-notified," government spokesperson Nitin Patel said.

Bhavapura, Shihor villages of Detroj tehsil, Hansalpur-Becharaji, Sitapur, Ughroj, Ughrojpur and Ukaradi villages of Mandal tehsil and Chandanki in Becharaji tehsil -- spread over Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts -- will comprise the SLR.

The proposed car plant of Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) at Hansalpur village falls in SIR; the state wants to develop the region as an auto and knowledge industry hub.

Jamin Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG) had yesterday decided to intensify its agitation if the state government did not abolish the SIR by August 15. "Our victory is only 90 per cent. Farmers of four villages still don't want SIR. We will register our protest and ask the state government to exclude these four villages too," JAAG convener Lalji Desai told PTI.

JAAG would go ahead with protest tomorrow, Desai added, saying that protesters will hoist the national flag at the site of proposed MSI plant.

The government had last month constituted a ministerial group of Finance minister Nitin Patel, Revenue minister Anandi Patel, Energy minister Saurabh Patel and Education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama to study the issue.

The farmers' protest has also received support from the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.