Discuss SEZ, mining policy in Parliament: Left

New Delhi, July 7: The Left parties today made a strong case for a full discussion in the Monsoon session of Parliament on the sweeping changes in the existing SEZ policy, as suggested by a House Panel, and the proposed mining policy.

While the CPI(M) Polit Bureau stressed the need to discuss the recommendations of the Parliament Standing Committee of Commerce as they related to protecting the interests of farmers, CPI National Secretary D Raja demanded the the Land Acqustion Act, 1898 should be scrapped altogether.

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau said, in a statment, said that in view of the widespread objections and apprehensions about the existing Act and rules, it was incumbent upon the government to ensure a full discussion on the exhaustive Report.

The Report has called for sweeping changes in the SEZ policy being pursed by the Manmohan Singh government to make it farmer friendly, including imposing a ban on further SEZs and review of tax sops provided under the SEZ Act.

The Committee is also of the view that a level playing field should be provided to domestic industry.

The CPI(M) said the issue should be given due urgency and importance as it pertained to protecting the interests of farmers, setting up a proper ceiling on land, alloted for different categories of SEZs, ending tax sops and protecting labour interests within SEZs.

The discussion in Parliament could become the basis for brining about the necessary changes in the Act and rules, they said.

Mr Raja said the government should not proceed with its policy which created ''independent SEZs in a sovereign country.'' The CPI Central Secretariat said in a statement, the SEZs can not be islands which are ''tax exempt and labour laws exempt'' as though they are ''deemed foreign territory'' for our own citizenry and only dictates of the SEZ authorities will apply there. ''SEZs can not be built at the cost of agriculture and the farming community.'' The party is of the view that the empowered group of ministers can not take policy decisions in this regard. Parliament must discuss the report of Parliamentary Standing Committee. Till that time, no new SEZs should be cleared, it added.

Meanwhile, the Left parties have also demanded that the mining policy should also not be approved by the Union Cabinet and rather be placed before the parliament for further discussions, saying that the proposed mining policy by the Group of Minsiters is ''shortsighted and harmful.'' Indiscriminate exports of iron ore and other material resources would denude India of its natural resources,'' they added.

UNI