No one knows how long big investors have to wait before they adequate freehold land for setting up SEZs in the state.

The existing land reforms Act does not allow a person to have freehold land beyond 12 acres for irrigated areas and 17 acres for non-irrigated areas.

The law makes relaxations only for setting up factories, mills, tea gardens, townships and planning areas. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wanted to extend this relaxation for the emerging sector that includes SEZs, biotech parks, technology parks, commercial activities and also infrastructure.

The proposed amendment Bill was referred to the West Bengal Assembly Select Committee for scrutiny in November due to differences within the Left Front. The committee is yet to arrive at a consensus. The government has to table the Bill afresh if it cannot place the amendment Bill this session. Land reforms minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah may approach Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim to extend the time frame for tabling the Bill.

The government is likely to take up the matter with Left Front chairman Biman Bose to iron out the differences at the Front level. But the situation has become complex after the CPM central committee submitted a note to the UPA government to allow SEZs only after amending the SEZ Act and rules. It means that the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government will also make amends to their initial SEZ plans and give permission to such projects in bits and pieces, in line with the CPM central committee's point of view.

PROJECTS ON HOLD

• Salim group's multi-product SEZ in Haldia
  
• Salim group's multi-product SEZ in Haldia
  
• Videocon's multi-product SEZ on Kolkata-Kharagpur stretch
  
• Videocon's multi-product SEZ in North 24-Parganas
  
• Salarpuria Properties' IT SEZ in North 24-Parganas
  
• SEZ Infrastructure Developers' engineering SEZ in Howrah
  
• Bengal Srei's auto component SEZ in Kharagpur
  
• Xenitis Infotech's electronic hardware and software SEZ in Hooghly
  
• Enfield Realtors' biotechnology SEZ in Burdwan
  
• Parasmani Infrabuild's electronic hardware and software SEZ in Karaidanga
  
• Asian Gateway's IT SEZ in Siliguri
  
• Enfield Infrastructure's IT SEZ in North 24-Parganas
  
• Enfield Infrastructure's IT SEZ in Kharagpur