The Hindu : National : Regulatory authority sought for framing norms on SEZs

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Regulatory authority sought for framing norms on SEZs

Gargi Parsai

V.P. Singh: let there be a six-month moratorium; farmers should be given a stake in the company

NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, on Wednesday asked the United Progressive Alliance Government to come out with detailed guidelines on the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and supported the Janata Dal (United) demand for an all-party meeting on the subject. Leaders of several political parties have already expressed reservations about the policy.

Mr. Singh, who has recently formed the Jan Morcha — a 22-party alliance in Uttar Pradesh — said if his coalition came to power in the State that is going to the polls early next year, then it would scrap the SEZ policy and return the acquired lands to farmers.

Just as he had suggested on the Other Backward Caste reservation issue, he said there should be a national referendum on the SEZ policy. "Let the nation decide on both the issues."

Strongly opposing acquisition of prime agriculture lands for SEZs, he said a regulatory authority should be formed for framing the guidelines and as a monitoring agency. The authority should include representatives from farmers organisations and social activists fighting for farmers' cause. It should oversee the SEZ locations and the quantum of land that was being acquired.

"Till this is done there should be a six-month moratorium on the SEZ policy," he said. In any case, the first allotment for SEZ should be wastelands. Double cropland should be protected under all circumstances.

Amendment sought

Seeking amendment to the Land Acquisition Act against acquisition of land for private parties, Mr. Singh said Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had said fertile land should not be taken away. "We want this in writing."

He said the Reserve Bank of India, the International Monetary Fund and the farmers were all shouting against SEZs. "Village after village has been taken up. In every village there are 25 to 30 per cent labour. Where will they go? There is no package for them. No rehabilitation. The approach should be inclusive, not exclusive. Farmers should be given a stake in the company."

The former Prime Minister said he had learnt that for an investment of Rs. 3,56,000 crore, the loss in taxes and duty would be to the tune of Rs. 1,86,000 crore. "The amount that would be thus lost would be enough to waive off farmers' loans several times over.''

At what cost?

Reacting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comment that SEZs had come to stay, Mr. Singh said: "At what cost and under what parameters? SEZ have come to stay and farmers and farm labour have to go. I don't know what they are looking at... with so many people displaced. Where will they go? There is potential for revolt here.''

Striking a different note he said although he was in touch with other political parties in U.P., he had not suggested that Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh could be projected as a Chief Ministerial candidate as has been reported.

With Janata Dal (United) there could be no electoral tie-up till the party came out of the National Democratic Alliance, he said.

Seeking appointment

At an interaction with journalists at the Apollo Hospital here, Mr. Singh said he had been trying in vain to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister for more than a year to raise farmers' issues.

"I have spoken to his office. I have requested him orally and written two letters to him but I have not been given an appointment ... The message was clear: that you take to the streets. I have taken to the streets. On the Special Economic Zones, it is the Jan Morcha supporters who have taken blows on their bodies," he said.

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