Cong high command satisfied with Reliance deal: Amarinder

Chandigarh, May 23 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the Congress high command had no objection to the state government's proposed land deal with the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for agri-business, adding that the Prime Minister was rather happy with the move.

Talking to newsmen here, Capt Singh said that he had sent the entire project report of the state governmet's pact with the RIL in the wake of the hue and cry made by the senior Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar against the project.

''There is no interference by the party high command in the Reliance project and rather the Prime Minister is happy with the move,'' Capt Singh said, while reacting to Mr Brar's statement that the ball was now in the court of Congress president Ms Sonia Gandhi.

It may be recalled that Mr Brar had yesterday stated in Ludhiana that he had sought time from Congress president Ms Sonia Gandhi to present his point of view on the Reliance issue, while the CM had already met Ms Gandhi on this matter.

The chief minister today said at a press conference that the state government would sign a pact with RIL within a week's time, and that the Reliance had promised to open six agri-hubs by December end this year.

He said RIL would establish 52 agri-hubs across the state for its agr-business activities, facilitating the farmers by giving them the remunerative returns for their produce in the horticulture and dairy sectors and also providing them the technical knowhow and support base.

Capt Singh has been in thick of controversy following Mr Brar's opposition to the proposed transfer of the Punjab Mandi Board land to the RIL not taking into account the market price of the land.

Justifying the move, he told mediapersons that several governments had already given land pieces to the big companies on lease at a small price for investment and job opportunities in their respective states.

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