The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : SEZs: study finds wide gaps in projections, achievements

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Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

SEZs: study finds wide gaps in projections, achievements

K. Venkateshwarlu

Of the projected employment of 25 lakh persons, only 61,905 got jobs in 40 of the 58 operational SEZs

HYDERABAD: For all the hype created over Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the State portraying them as future growth engines, a study has shown a wide gap between what was projected and what had been achieved so far, in terms of jobs and investment. It has also come up with a host of other interesting findings on land.

Of the projected employment of 25 lakh persons, so far 61,905 got jobs in 40 of the 58 notified SEZs that have become operational or 2.47 per cent. Of the projected break-up of 8.9 lakh and 16.82 lakh direct and indirect employment respectively, those who actually got jobs were 33,933 directly (1.35 per cent) and 27,972 indirectly (1.1 per cent).

Inconsistencies cited

As for investments, of the projected Rs.40,000 crore, these SEZs could attract Rs.5,470 crore or 13 per cent, Usha Sitalakshmi, a social activist, who had just completed the study, “SEZs in Andhra Pradesh - Issues, concerns and way ahead”, told The Hindu. The field study was done in eight districts where these SEZs have been located after obtaining details from various departments and corporations, including Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) and Revenue. There were “inconsistencies” in other areas too, especially land acquisition. While the APIIC says it has acquired 33,296 acres for 100 SEZs, field studies show that the land acquired was more than 34,000 acres for just 15 SEZs. “This means that the land acquired could be 4 to 5 times higher than the official figure,” she added. In the official records the government land acquired was shown as 6,100 acres for 58 SEZs but the field study showed acquisition of 17,500 acres for 15 SEZs.

Not fully wasteland

Notwithstanding government denials, the study found that a large extent of land acquired was not wasteland but single and two crop agricultural land and land assigned to weaker section small and marginal farmers as well as patta land.

Of the 20,700 acres acquired in the eight study districts, 12,779 acres was patta (dry), 1,823 acres patta (wet), 2,078 assignment land and 4,020 acres government land.

Other findings include forcible acquisition of agriculture lands in the name of ‘public purpose’ and other undemocratic means as threat of seizure, court attachment, creating ‘mass phobia’ and co-opting village leaders.

All SEZs were located close to metro cities, towns or ports spawning real estate activity around them.

In many cases, lands acquired in the past for industrial parks and growth centres have been reallocated to Special Economic Zones such as the pharma SEZ in Polepally.

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