The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Cabinet nod for reworking pact with SEZ promoter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Cabinet nod for reworking pact with SEZ promoter

Special Correspondent

Committee headed by Chief Secretary formed

The Rs. 15,000-crore SEZ is to come up on 5,000 hectares of land
Singapore-based firm given 60 days time to submit a project report on monorail

BANGALORE: In the wake of protests from farmers and local people, the State Cabinet on Friday decided to constitute an official committee headed by Chief Secretary P.B. Mahishi to rework the agreement signed with Skil Infrastructure, promoter of a multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ), at Nandagudi of Hoskote taluk in Bangalore Rural district.

The State Cabinet meting on June 15, 2007 had granted permission to Skil Infrastructure to develop the SEZ on 5,000 hectares of land with an investment of Rs. 15,000 crore.

Addressing presspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj S. Horatti said the committee comprising the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, and Secretaries of Finance, Urban Development, Industries and Revenue departments had been asked to examine the Draft Project Development Agreement and rework the agreement in conformity with the decision taken by the Cabinet.

Based on the recommendations of the committee, the Government would sign the agreement with Skil Infrastructure, Mr. Horatti said.

Land acquisition

The Government would not involve itself in acquiring lands for the proposed SEZ. The company should submit a detail rehabilitation and resettlement policy for land losers and landless labourers and such a policy should be examined by the Government for approval. The company should also provide employment to one member of the family which would lose its land.

Monorail

The Singapore-based Asian Infrastructure Development Corporation has been given 60 days time to submit a detailed project report on the proposed monorail project. The Government has decided to run monorail as feeder service to the 38-km network of the Metro rail.

Mr. Horatti said after submission of the report by the corporation, the Government would invite tenders, on Swiss Challenge System, for execution of the project.

The following corridors have been proposed for operating the monorail service: Corridor I (Kanakapura Road to Mysore Road Junction with a T connection from Kathriguppe to National College), Corridor II (Bannerghatta National Park to Adugodi). Corridor III (Jnanabharathi to Mysore Road (Outer Ring Road) with a T connection to Toll Gate on Magadi Road). Corridor IV (Tumkur Road on Outer Ring Road to Bellary Road).

Mangalore SEZ

The Cabinet has fixed Rs. 8 lakh for an acre of Government land acquired by the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited to establish a SEZ in Mangalore. As many as 271 acres of Government land had been acquired for the SEZ. The same price would be applicable to the private lands acquired for the project, he said.

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