Kerala urges Centre to look into HMT land deal

Kochi, Jan 28 (UNI) The Kerala Government has asked the Centre to inquire into the controversial deal between Hindustan Machines Tool (HMT) and a private Mumbai-based company for sale of 70 acre of government-allotted land, State Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem said today.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Kareem said he had already informed Union Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Dev on the deal.

As HMT was a Central PSU, the Union Government should inquire into the deal, he added.

The state government has already decided to inquire into the matter and all aspects of the issue, including the land value and HMT's authority to sell the land to a private party, would be looked into.

''There is no need for us to justify HMT,'' the minister said.

Mumbai-based Blue Star Realtors Pvt Ltd had bought 70 acre of the HMT land at Kalmaserry here to set up a 'cyber city'. HMT had been allotted the land by the State Government to set up industrial units.

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