Freeze on SEZ approvals lifted, 83 proposals cleared

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) The government today lifted a two-month freeze on approvals of special economic zones (SEZs) and cleared 83 pending proposals, notwithstanding violent protests against some SEZ projects.

The empowered group of ministers (EGoM), which met to clear the SEZ proposals that were on hold, also put an end to compulsory land acquisition by state governments and limited the size of SEZs to 5,000 hectares which will hit some major players.

The SEZ issue had evoked nationwide attention and concern, especially in the wake of last month's Nandigram killings.

The process for creation of SEZs will continue, except in those cases in which some land acquisition controversy was involved, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath told reporters after a meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (eGoM).

''We are not stopping any process, and formal approval in the existing 83 cases under consideration would be issued by the Department of Commerce,'' he said.

The eGoM in its last meeting held in January, had suspended the processing of all fresh proposals and notification of SEZs after there were violent protest in several parts of the country over forcible land acquisition by states.

It had put on hold even proposals in whose cases there was no land acquisition problem and which had been formally approved by the board of approval for SEZ.

Mr Kamal Nath said......Editors pick up from para 7 of DC14, DI32.

UNI