No need to soften SEZ policy in Haryana, says Birender Singh

Fatehabad, Oct 13 (UNI) Haryana Finance Minister Birender Singh has said Haryana is the most preferred destination for the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and, therefore, there is no need for the government to soften its policy to help developers at the expense of farmers.

Talking to media persons at the residence of District Bar Association President S S Thind here yesterday, he said that the developer, who wished to set up SEZ in the National Capital Region (NCR) would have to arrange land on his own.

The Government, he said, would help only up to 25 percent of land required and that too for the purpose of ensuring continuity of land.

However, he said the Government was ready to provide land up to 50 per cent by acquisition in case the SEZ was developed out of NCR region.

Mr Singh announced that a rally would be organised at Fatehabad on December 9 on the occasion of birth anniversary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The rally, which will be organised under the banner of Haryana Yuva Berozgar Sangthan, has been named 'Kisan aur Yuva Sashaktikaran (Farmers and Youths Empowerment) Rally.

He said the proposed rally was aimed at highlighting the problems of farmers and unemployed youths.

He said that the erstwhile Om Parkash Chautala government had played a bad joke with unemployed youths by announcing unemployed allowance of Rs 100 and Rs 200 respectively for matriculates and graduate unemployed youths. He said that the present Government had increased this allowance to Rs 300 and Rs 500 respectively.

Earlier addressing a meeting of workers of Haryana Yuva Berozgar Sangthan held in the local Panchayat Bhawan, Mr Singh said the Central Government had recently sanctioned a financial package for lessening the debt burden on farmers of 60 districts of South India.

He said that he was trying to get a similar package for Haryana.

The Prime Minister had already constituted a three-member committee to find ways to provide help to the farmers of Haryana and Punjab, he added.

UNI XC VKJ DKB KN1328