Facing all-round attack over Nandigram, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee sought on Wednesday a 'fresh look' into the Centre's policy on SEZs, which he felt should be restricted to select industries.
He also wanted the Centre to fix a ceiling on land for a particular type of SEZ and work out the percentage of land area to be compulsorily utilised for industries within that limit.
"The scheme for special economic zones requires a fresh look. Industry groups should be identified in the first instance which are to be covered under the scheme, instead of extending it to all and sundry," he said at a National Development Council meeting.
Bhattacharjee, CPI-M's posterboy of industrialisation, was of the view that since the minimum land requirement is prescribed, "there should be an upper ceiling of land as well for a particular type of SEZ."
The Central government has already fixed a land ceiling of 5,000 hectre for multi-product SEZs following mass protests by farmers in various states. The Bhattacharjee government in West Bengal landed in trouble after its plan to set up an SEZ in Nandigram triggered violent protests and clashes between CPI-M cadre and locals in the region.
He reminded the UPA government of its Common Minimum Programme commitment for transferring centrally sponsored schemes, along with funds, in the state subject to states and favoured a "Sub-Plan" approach for uplift of minorities.
Bhattacharjee pointed out that there was only a 'passing reference' and no 'substantial commitment' to increase land holding of the poor in the Eleventh Plan document though it recognised 'limited endowment of land, capital, labour and skill' as reasons for poverty.
The chief minister also expressed concern over the findings of the National Sample Survey Organisation that only 27 per cent of the total number of farm households received credit from formal sources.
"To achieve the targeted four per cent growth in agriculture during the 11th plan, we must assure that the Kisan Credit Card facility to every agricultural household with adequate disbursement of credit," he added.
Bhattacharya strongly pitched for limiting of the Centre's industrial scheme to North-Eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir saying 'the neighbouring states have not been getting a level-playing field.'
Observing that more investment was needed in infrastructure to achieve an annual growth of 9 per cent, he sought speedy completion of the Delhi-Kolkata rail freight corridor, modernisation of the Kolkata airport and the deep sea port and shipyard project in the eastern metropolis.
To fuel industrial growth and create more employment, he suggested reduction of bank loans to industries, particularly small and micro enterprises and agriculture and steps to ensure availability of adequate credit.
While he hailed increase in outlay for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, he favoured inclusion of secondary, vocational and technical education within its ambit and restoration of Centre-state fund sharing pattern to the ratio of 75:25.
India's great rush for SEZs
