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Taking a cue from the expert committee recommendations, the West Bengal Government decided against land acquisition for projects to be developed through public-private partnership (PPP) route. The decision may impact a number of development projects in the State, including some railway projects.
The Ms Mamata Banerjee-led Government has already decided against land for industry.
According to the latest decision, land for PPP projects should be acquired by the private partner while the State Government would act as a facilitator helping him out through faster clearances and tax benefits.
In some cases, rehabilitation might be provided in accordance with the laid down policies of the State.
According to sources at Writers’ Buildings, a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet here on Thursday (July 5). Official confirmation on the decision is yet to be received.
The State has also set up an “empowered committee” to evaluate all PPP proposals. The committee is likely to be headed by the chief secretary.
Land issues
According to sources, the State might ask all departments to come up with the available land parcels they have with them. This will be the State’s so-called land bank.
Land will be offered to investors or private partners from this bank.
Earlier, it was the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) which would facilitate the transfer of land to investors even for PPP projects.
The State Government, if required, would go in for acquisition and then pass on the land to the private partner for development.
Political observers say that the decision of not acquiring land is consistent with the the Government’s anti-land acquisition stand.
Railway High Power Committee
Incidentally, it was Ms Mamata Banerjee who had been a vociferous proponent of PPP route.
Bitten by the PPP-bug during her tenure as the Railway Minister, Ms Banerjee had set up a high power committee under the chairmanship of Dr Amit Mitra (now West Bengal’s Finance Minister) to evaluate such proposals.
While land was provided by the Railways (from its available bank), investments came in from private partners.
However, the Railway board sources said that the expert committee has been dismantled since Dr Mitra took up his new portfolio.
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