Says Centre to look into denotifying SEZs, additional 50 mw power
PANJIM, AUG 13
The Centre has in principle acceded to the State government’s demand of reserving 50 per cent seats for Goan students in the newly started National Institute of Technology (NIT), at Farmagudi.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who was on a day’s visit to the national capital, told Herald that his meeting with the HRD Minister Kapil Sibal was quite fruitful.
“I demanded 50 per cent seats for the Goan students in NIT and the minister has in principle agreed to it,” Kamat said upon his arrival in Goa on Friday.
The NIT started functioning at the GEC campus at Farmagudi from the current academic year and was inaugurated by the chief minister recently.
However, the State government had come in for severe criticism from various quarters including the Opposition, for not demanding 50 per cent reservation for Goans.
Currently, Goa is sharing 50 per cent reservation with the Union territories of Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.
SEZ: During his visit to Delhi, the Chief Minister also met the Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and requested him to expedite the process of denotifying three Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which were sanctioned in the State.
“I requested Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to expeditiously take up the matter of denotifying the SEZs,” Kamat said adding the minister has responded positively to the State’s request.
“Sharma has told me that he will take up the matter with his officers,” the chief minister said.
The State has scrapped its SEZ policy cancelling 12 projects in the State.
The fate of three SEZs still hangs in balance as the Board of Approval (BoA) is yet to denotify them. All these SEZ developers have currently challenged the State government’s decision before Bombay High Court bench at Goa.
POWER: Kamat also met Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde urging additional 50 mw electricity to the State, which is required to meet the deficit.
“The minister (Shinde) has assured me that he would hold meeting with his officers on Monday and take a decision,” the chief minister said.