SEZs: Board of Approvals meet postponed

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Jan. 17

With the formulating of a new rehabilitation policy for displaced
farmers under way, the Government has decided to put on hold fresh
approvals for special economic zones (SEZs).

The meeting of Board of Approvals for SEZs under the Commerce Ministry
scheduled for Friday has been postponed due to unavoidable
circumstances, according to an official communication. Sources, however,
said that since the meeting of the empowered group of Ministers to
discuss the land acquisition issue for SEZs and other industrial
projects is slated for later this month, it would have been imprudent to
approve more SEZ proposals at this juncture. The meeting, which was
supposed to take up more than 70 new cases on January 19, has been
postponed.

The GoM on SEZs, headed by the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab
Mukherjee, is expected to meet on January 22 to review the policy amid
the backlash in States such as West Bengal.

The industry itself has offered to support the rehabilitation scheme
mooted by the Prime Minister. Apex chambers like CII, FICCI and Assocham
had said earlier that the farmers should be adequately compensated for
their land at market rates and members of the displaced families should
be given alternate employment.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/01/18/stories/2007011805071000.htm