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Reliance may not get Govt. land in Mohali

Sarabjit Pandher

Project will "definitely'' come up in Punjab: Amarinder

CHANDIGARH: Following widespread criticism, the Punjab Government is said to have decided against allocating any land owned by the State Mandi Board, the Punjab Small Industries Export Corporation (PSIEC) and the village panchayats to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for its ambitious project of setting up a chain of more than 300 "rural business hubs" in the State.

This "informal decision'' was taken a meeting of some Ministers and top bureaucrats chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday. While RIL would be provided all the concessions available, the State Government would help it locate, purchase or even hire suitable pieces of land for its project. According to informed sources, the Chief Minister has favoured that RIL be helped to purchase a suitable piece of privately owned land at an appropriate site. After the meeting, Capt. Singh said that a decision would be taken after RIL puts in a formal proposal, which would be forwarded to the concerned departments, boards and corporations. The opinions would be forwarded to the State Chief Secretary following which the Council of Ministers would discuss the matter. The Chief Minister said the entire process is likely to take another week or ten days after which the company would sign an official agreement with the State Government under the mega projects scheme.

Capt. Singh reiterated that the RIL project would "definitely'' come up in Punjab and first set of six hubs and some "sub-hubs'' would become operational by the end of this year. "The entire project may take about 18 months for implementation," he said. Though the Chief Minister sought to allay fears about RIL monopoly, he accepted that the company's maiden venture into farm operations could spread over an area of over three lakh acres across the State.

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