About 11000 hectares of land given for 88 SEZs in Maharashtra

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) About 11000 hectares of land in Maharashtra has been earmarked for creation of 88 Special Economic Zones (SEZ), the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh told the House in a written reply the state governments have been advised that the Board of Approvals will not consider any proposal for SEZ in case they have carried out or propose to carry out compulsory acquisition of land for SEZ after April 5, 2007.

There was no special provision for acquisition of land for SEZ and land usage was a state subject, he added.

As regards rehabilitation and compensation, the Ministry of Rural Development had come out with a revised national Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy last year providing financial assistance, employment for disabled persons, rehabilitation grants and subsistence allowance, he said.

Replying to another related question, Mr Ramesh said the Board of Approvals, consisting of 19 members, had been created under the SEZ Act 2005 to consider the proposals.

The SEZ Act confers powers on the Board of Approvals for suspension of approval in case the developer is unable to fully or efficiently discharge the duties and obligations imposed on him by the letter of approval and circumstances exist which render it necessary in public interest to do so, he said.

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