Date:08/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/08/stories/2008070859531400.htm

National

Minister allays fears of farmers on SEZs

Staff Reporter

HINDUPUR: Minister for Industries J. Geeta Reddy has refuted the criticism of opposition parties on setting up special economic zones (SEZs) by acquiring cultivable lands and allayed the fears of the farming community saying that only 0.05 per cent of the total cultivable land has been envisaged for 91 SEZs sanctioned to the State.Speaking after laying the foundation stone for construction of incubation centre and CFC building in the K. Raheja Corporation’s apparel park in the industrial estate at Thumukunta near here on Monday she criticised the opposition parties and other organisations for creating fears about SEZs unnecessarily.

Jobs for 200 women

The Minister also handed over the Letter of Intent to the Raheja apparel park. The Raheja Corporation also gave appointment letters to 200 women trained jointly by the DRDA and itself through the Minister for employment in the apparel park. Another 100 women were given certificates on completion of their training.

The liberalised industrial policy being pursued by the State had helped the industrial sector flourish during the last four years, Dr. Geeta Reddy claimed.

The SEZs in the State would create an employment for 21 lakhs. The SEZs under implementation had already employed about 51,000 persons, she noted.

There was about 3 crore acres of agriculture land in the State and only about 17,000 acres was being given to 91 SEZs. That meant only 0.05 pc was being utilised for the economic activity and there was no need for any fear among any community over this, she said. While the previous Telugu Desam government could attract only Rs. 5,000-crore investment during its nine-year rule, the Congress government brought Rs. 20,000 crore in just four years.