Govt committed to SEZs, says Kamal Nath

PTI, 17 March

Nandigram and political concerns) have not put me off and the government is absolutely committed," he said in an interview.

Unfazed by Nandigram violence and political concerns, the Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath today said the UPA government remains committed to the Special Economic Zones with full backing of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"They (Nandigram and political concerns) have not put me off and the government is absolutely committed," he said in an interview to TV news channel.

When asked whether he enjoyed the support of the Prime Minister, Nath replied, "of course, the (whole) government is committed."

The Minister was confident that Empowered Group of Ministers headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would go ahead with clearing the SEZ cases where there was no land dispute.

"Of course there is a fear now where land acquisition is concerned... but where there is no land in dispute why should we be worried," he said.

Nath said the land acquisition must be transparent and he was "personally in favour of giving farmers a stake in the development that comes up on their land in addition to the market price".

He said the new National Rehabilitation Policy was likely to include a provision for making farmers stake holders in the development.

"The New Land Acquisition Policy is looking at all these things and which ever it happens, whether by giving him (the farmer) a job or a stake... he must be part and parcel of new development," he said.