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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

CM’s farm-before-factory fence - No-no-no on SEZ and land

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120313/jsp/frontpage/story_15243679.jsp 

CM's farm-before-factory fence 
- No-no-no on SEZ and land

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee holds up a poster issued by the co-operative bank in Tamluk to attach the property of a farmer who has not repaid a loan. 
The chief minister said she had ordered that the notice be withdrawn and 
that the law would be amended to make government permission 
mandatory for attaching farmers' land.

Calcutta, March 12: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has sought to address stirrings of disenchantment by using the run-up to the Nandigram firing anniversary to reassure her core constituency that she would not budge from her known positions on land and industry.

The chief minister emphatically asserted that her government would not endorse special economic zone (SEZ) status for the Infosys project in Rajarhat. She stuck to her stand that land ceiling would not be lifted and that no forcible land acquisition would be allowed.

On the face of it, Mamata did not say anything new. But the timing of the iteration is significant — not just because the Nandigram anniversary commemorating the death of 14 persons is two days away. She announced that the anniversary would henceforth be observed as "Krishak Divas" (farmers' day) as "peasants are our pride".

The chief minister has drawn criticism over a series of missteps ranging from her comments on the Park Street rape, the Burdwan murders and the assault on journalists on the day of the general strike.

However, by unequivocally holding aloft the pet themes that propelled her to power, Mamata seemed to be sending a message to critics and admirers alike that she can dip into the reserves of her core constituency. She also vowed to regulate farm loan recovery — steps and gestures that can shore up popularity but are fraught with risk if she is unable to meet rising expectations.

"We won't acquire land forcibly…. I won't withdraw the land ceiling too," said Mamata. "For such steps, some may criticise me. But I cannot initiate anti-people steps."

Sticking to her aversion for SEZs, the chief minister has made it clear she will not deviate from her stand even if it involves Infosys. "I am not in favour of SEZs. I want that Infosys works (here). I will provide them whatever help they want. But I do not want to give them SEZ status. I cannot allow someone to separately get SEZ status," said Mamata.

"I will give SEZ status to Infosys and not to someone else, that cannot happen. I cannot discriminate between two companies," she added.

In response to a question on the chief minister's assertion, Binod Hampapur, Infosys senior vice-president and global head (commercial and corporate relations), said this evening: "No comments from us at this stage."

Industry representatives suggested that the government's stand would mean it would have to rely on "small and medium enterprises".

"The industry has a stated stand that while land in small parcels is not a problem, large tracts are not possible for an industrialist to acquire. In that case, no such industry or anchor investments would come. Going by the government's focus, it would then be the small and medium enterprises which will help Bengal achieve its goal," said Harsh K. Jha, the president of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Some pointed to competition from other states. "From an economic and industrial point of view, if we talk about SEZ, land acquisition or urban land ceiling, one should look at other states which have opted for a different path and have been able to attract investments in industry, real estate or information technology," said Rajeev Singh, the director-general of the Indian Chamber of Commerce. "Those states are doing well, be it Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab or Uttar Pradesh. In fact, UP has a proactive land acquisition policy."


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