Click to play videoNew Delhi: Special Economic Zones are the latest buzzwords in India's political and economic circles. The SEZs are expected to replicate the Chinese success story in India.
But will they benefit the common man? If the first SEZ in Haryana is any indicator of the future, farmers across the country may soon find themselves displaced by massive concrete and glass islands.
Hidden behind the glitz and dazzle will be a trail of sophisticated land-grabbing scams worth hundreds of thousands of crores.
On its part, the UPA Government is categorical that agricultural land must not be used for setting up SEZs. "We want to ensure that fertile agricultural land is not diverted for the SEZ. And we want to make sure that farmers needs are met," says Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson.
But despite this clear policy line, Bhupinder Singh Hooda's Congress Government in Haryana is doing just the opposite by setting up its first SEZ in a joint venture with Reliance Industries on fertile agriculture land, not far from Delhi.
"Mere poorkho ki zameen hai yeh. Mujhe chorni padi. Kya mila? Bees lakh assi hazaar rupay mile bas ur kya? (This land belongs to us for generations. I had to leave this land. What did I get in return? Just an amount of Rs 20,80,000," says Kanhaiya, a farmer, whose land has been acquired by the Haryana Government for the proposed SEZ.
"Sarkar ne leli zameen hamari. Kya mila humme? Ab suna hai yaha par SEZ aye ga. Par khush hali kiski hogi yeh to khuda hi jane. (The government has taken my land. What did I get? Now, we hear one SEZ will come up here. But God knows who will benefit from it)," Kishan Lal, another farmer, rues.
"Mujhe apni zameen chorni padi. Yaha aas paas ki zameen 3 crore se kam nahi hai, (I had to leave my land. The going rate here is Rs 3 crore)," says Amarinder, another farmer.
The Haryana Government acquired 1,500 acres of agriculture land from these farmers to kick-start the project. But the cheques given to the farmers reveal that the government bought these fertile agriculture land from the farmers for pittance, the going price -- Rs 20,80,000 -- being far below the prevailing market rate.
Farmers who used to own these land have been asking the government why were they paid just a few lakhs for the land that could have easily fetched them crores. And why has the government handed over this prime real estate to Reliance at dirt cheap rates?
Ironically, these questions have been raised within the Congress party too. "There is an unholy partnership between RIL and the Government of Haryana. They must answer why there is such a difference in the price," Kuldip Singh Bishnoi, Congress MP, demands.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
