The Hindu Business Line : Govt may go slow on SEZs

New Delhi March 23 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Friday indicated that though there could be some slowdown in the setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the concept was here to stay.

Faced with nationwide criticism of the West Bengal Government after the Nandigram firing that killed 14 people opposing acquisition of farm land for an SEZ, Dr Singh today hinted that the Government might go slow due to the difficulties faced, but the decisions were irreversible.

Responding to questions at the India Today conclave on whether the Government would revise the SEZ policy in view of the Nandigram incident, Dr Singh said, "These are decisions which are irreversible. Therefore, it is very important that before we move, if there are any gaps in the performance, gaps in the design and gaps in the implementation, we should halt a little bit even though it takes time."

The Prime Minister added that while "the challenges we face are after all not so new," he went on to say that, "At the same time, there are challenges which are truly new. The challenge of addressing the ever-increasing consumption needs of billions of people."

"If all the developing countries of the world were to aim for a standard of living which is currently seen in the more developed countries, we need to reflect what the environmental consequences would be. Is our planet capable of sustaining a high consumption lifestyle for all its inhabitants? This is certainly a new challenge for which there are no ready-made answers," he said.

Saying that India's energies should be focused on priorities at home, the Prime Minister said, "We need a more competitive industry and a more dynamic agricultural economy. Our energies must be focused on these priorities at home. We must get our act together so that we can make the best use of the opportunities presenting themselves before us."

Later, speaking at the conclave, the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Mr Kamal Nath, asked the State governments to act with sensitivity regarding land acquisition for industrial projects.

"State governments need to be sensitive on land acquisition," he said, and added that not only the landowners but others making a living out of the local economy should also be rehabilitated.

Mr Nath said that on an average as many as 10 people were living on each hectare of land. The number of people who would be displaced by land acquisition has increased and they should be properly rehabilitated, he added.

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