The Hindu : National : BJP demands all-party meet on Special Economic Zones

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2007
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National

National

BJP demands all-party meet on Special Economic Zones

Neena Vyas

Manmohan Singh government taking the matter too casually, says Venkaiah Naidu

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday demanded that the Government call an all-party meeting urgently to discuss issues related to Special Economic Zones and bring out a white paper detailing the SEZs waiting to be cleared.

White paper sought

It was a subject in which State Governments were legitimately interested and for this reason the Centre should call an all-party meeting, BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said. Charging the Manmohan Singh government of taking the matter "too casually", he asked for a white paper that would give state-wise details of all SEZs cleared or waiting to be cleared along with details of each SEZ project.

The details should include amount of money to be invested, the sector in which the investment is to be made, and the job potential of the SEZ.

``Not against SEZs''

Mr. Naidu said the BJP had made its position clear: it was not against SEZs; it did not want SEZs coming up on fertile or irrigated land; at least 60 per cent of the land acquired for SEZs must be for manufacturing; farmers from whom the land is acquired must be made stakeholders by giving back to them 15 per cent of the acquired and developed land on a pro rata basis; private investors must be allowed to negotiate directly with farmers for buying the land except in the case of land needed for the sake of contiguity.

Every SEZ proposal must be submitted along with a rehabilitation proposal; and, finally, tax incentives must be limited to manufacturing units in SEZs.

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