State Cong leaders sing party chief’s tune on SEZs
After Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s note of caution on special economic zones (SEZ), Congress functionaries in Maharashtra - where 48 such projects are in the pipeline - have started making some noises.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: After Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s note of caution on special economic zones (SEZ), Congress functionaries in Maharashtra — where 48 such projects are in the pipeline — have started making some noises.
Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam on Friday said the Maharashtra government should ensure that SEZs in the state did not become a “real-estate business”.
“Let it not become a business for developers where 75% of the total acquired land gets exploited for real estate ventures. The Congress party’s stand is that 75% of the total land acquired for an SEZ be designated for industrial purposes and not for real estate,” Mr Nirupam said.
A number of Congress leaders have followed suit after Ms Gandhi called for protecting farmers’ interests while going about SEZs at the Nainital conclave of Congress chief ministers last month.
Two weeks ago, Maharashtra relief, co-operation, and rehabilitation minister Patangrao Kadam categorically said the state would go “cautiously” about the sensitive land acquisition task for SEZs.
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“We will not allow any injustice to farmers by SEZ developers and won’t take any decision in haste on land acquisition,” Mr Kadam had said after the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries made a presentation to the state government officials on its proposed SEZ in Raigad district.“But the state’s policy on all SEZ proposals would have to be guided by the Congress president’s directives. Farmers’ interests would have to be given priority,” Mr Nirupam claimed.
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