The Hindu Business Line : Buddhadeb urges uniform land-use policy for SEZs

Pattern mooted
The land-use pattern in SEZs should be 50 pc for industries, 25 pc for development of industry related infrastructure and the remaining for other usages.

Kolkata , Sept. 18

The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has urged the Union Government to introduce a uniform land-use policy for all Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the country. Such a policy is required to ensure "even" economic development in SEZs, he felt.

Addressing the 119th annual general meeting of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI) here on Monday, Mr Bhattacharjee said that the decision to allow promoters of SEZs to utilise 25 per cent of the total area in each SEZ for setting up industries and the remaining land for other industry-related activities was not acceptable to the Left parties.

The State Government has, thus, proposed that the land use pattern in SEZs should be in the pattern of 50 per cent area for industries and 25 per cent of land for development of industry related infrastructure and the remaining 25 per cent for other usages. The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the country's declining growth rate in agricultural sector, economic development without a growth in jobs and a wide international trade deficit of about Rs 200,000 crore.

Textile policy

Mr Bhattacharjee said that the future of the State's textile sector appeared bright following the introduction of WTO guidelines suggesting the abolition of quota restriction on textile goods exports. In a given situation, the State Government was trying to formulate a new textile policy. Efforts were also being made to grow cotton in four districts of the southern part of the country. In fact, the process of developing the State's textile sector began with the setting up of a textile park at Howrah district.

`Tea tourism'

The Chief Minister said that the State had tremendous potential in "tea tourism" in North Bengal districts (particularly in Dooars) and agro-based business. He said about 30 per cent of the State's vegetable production of about 1.6 million tonnes got perished due to lack of proper storage capacity and also the lack of market mechanism.

Plastic units

Although the Haldia Petrochemical Complex was a success story, he lamented the development of plastic industries was still lagging behind. He requested local entrepreneurs to set up plastic units in the State, particularly in North Bengal because of the proximity to the North-East markets. Plastic units could also be set up in Midnapur district eying the market of Jharkhand. He added that no serious attempts had been made to set up electrical and medical equipment manufacturing units and also the manufacturing of domestic appliances from kitchenware to toiletries. The State's requirement of these items was largely met by imports from other States.

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