• Reforms roadblock

Union Commerce minister Kamal Nath has directed the West Bengal government to restrict the use of multi-crop land for SEZs

Left government is in a fix as it has already formally approved seven SEZs

Government has more trouble in store in the Assembly when it tables a land reforms bill which gives industrialists absolute right to transfer land acquired

The West Bengal government is in a fix over the Union commerce minister Kamal Nath’s injunction on restricting the use of multi-crop agricultural land for Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Nath has written twice on the issue to the state government, which has already given formal approval to seven SEZs and in principle approval to 17 others, all of which are to be set up on fertile multi-crop land. Over 1,200 hectares of fertile land were to be acquired in Bishnupur, Batanagar, Kariadanga and Kulpi in the South 24 Parganas and 1,700 acres more in North 24 Parganas for the SEZs.

More trouble for the government on the land issue is expected in the Assembly, where it will table the West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill 2006. The bill gives industrialists and investors absolute right to transfer land they acquire from the government. Moreover, not only does the bill remove all ceiling in acquiring land for industry and infrastructure, but also gives investors the right to sell it off, provided the initial purpose of acquisition was not changed.

The Trinamool Congress and the Congress plan to oppose the Bill in the Assembly, while Front partners want to raise it at the Left Front meeting on December 1.

Another contentious feature of the bill is that it authorises the Collector to regularise conversion/alteration of the character and mode of its use. The Opposition argues that this provision gives unnecessary powers to the collector.

While leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee said the Bill would be strongly opposed, Congress Legislature Party leader Manas Bhuniya called the bill harmful to rural agricultural economy.

Chatterjee alleged that the government had placed as many as 16 bills for the sevenday winter session to avoid a thorough discussion.

Trinamool Congress MLA Saugata Ray said the bill “is cause for concern since the ceiling on acquiring the land is being abolished.” RSP leader Tapan Hore said his party would discuss the bill first and then raise it at the Left Front meeting.