CPM not against SEZs: Yechuri

Wednesday February 7 2007 10:46 IST
VISAKHAPATNAM: CPM Politburo member and Chairman of Parliamentary
Committee on Tourism, Road Transport, Shipping, Ports and Water Sitaram
Yechuri has said his party is not against setting up of Special Economic
Zones (SEZs) provided they are located in non-agricultural lands and a
comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package is evolved to the
satisfaction of all aggrieved parties.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Sitaram said in cases where
there was no alternative to agricultural lands for setting up SEZs, the
primary policy should be not to disturb farmers and their dependents.

When his attention was drawn to the contradictory stand taken by the CPM
in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh on SEZs, Sitaram said the land was not
basically agriculture in nature there and claimed that the kind of
relief and rehabilitation package implemented in Singur was
comprehensive. The West Bengal Government took into consideration the
interests of land owners, tillers and farm labourers in evolving the
package, he said.

Sitaram opposed provision of blanket concessions to IT majors in Special
Economic Zones. He urged the government to reconsider the IT policy to
get a fair deal in any agreement with industry majors.

Replying to a question on ties with the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, he
said the CPM did not have any alliance with it at any stage. It merely
had seat adjustments with the Congress only to avert division of votes
among non-BJP parties.
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