,BJP may not go hammer and tongs at SEZs

POLITICAL BUREAU
Posted online: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

NEW DELHI, OCT 2: The recently-formed BJP panel on SEZs, in its first
meeting to be held here on Tuesday, is expected to stress on a “balanced
approach” that would not only emphasise the Right wing party’s support
to SEZs but also find out the “defects” in the UPA government’s SEZ policy.
The panel, which will submit a report to BJP president Rajnath Singh, is
expected to chiefly highlight the farmers’ plight due to the present SEZ
policy.

While the panel is expected to clearly oppose the acquisition of
agriculture and irrigated land, sources said the stress would be on the
farmers being compensated at market rate by developers through a uniform
SEZ norms.

Moreover, the panel is expected to suggest that the Land Acquisition Act
be modified so that state governments do not play the role of “real
estate brokers”.

Another proposal being considered is that the Investment Commission,
currently being headed by Ratan Tata, should be given the authority to
scrutinise various SEZ proposals.

“The UPA government clearing too many SEZ proposals that smells of a
scam,” a source said.

The BJP leadership is said to be of the view that the party’s approach
on SEZs has not been “emphatic enough” in highlighting the farmers
getting a “raw deal”. Moreover, it has been perceived as toeing the
Centre’s line.

Sources also said though the BJP in its recent Dehradun conclave
specifically demanded that agriculture and irrigated land should not be
acquired for SEZs, other Opposition and Left parties have appeared to be
more vociferous.

In contrast, many other political outfits/parties like the Jan Morcha,
Left parties and even NDA ally JD (U) has gained much political mileage
by vociferously opposing the Centre’s SEZ policy.

Even the Congress seems to have blunted any potential damage with party
chief Sonia Gandhi, in the Nainital conclave, clearly opposing the
acquisition of agriculture land. Commerce minister Kamal Nath also
issued a clarification soon after.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=142202