Goa has to press for SEZs de-notification: Shantaram
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 19
Goa will have to press for the de-notification of three Special Economic Zones (SEZ) with the Union commerce ministry clarifying that there is no court stay on the de-notification, Member of Parliament Shantaram Naik said.
Naik informed reporters that the Union commerce ministry replying to a question tabled by him in Rajya Sabha had clearly said that the de-notification is on hold as the matter is subjudice as well as the State will have to pay compensation to the developers.
“The High Court is hearing the petition about land allotted by Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to the SEZ promoters. The GIDC have already sent the notice to the developers asking to stop construction work. But there is no matter pending on the de-notification,” Naik said.
The MP said that he had personally met Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and had explained to him the exact matter.
“There is no injunction on the Central government to de-notify these three SEZs,” he said.
Naik even said that the issue of compensation to the developers could be sorted out later. “It’s not necessary that the compensation should be paid to these developers,” the MP said.
LETTER: Naik said that he has urged Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to write an official letter to Sharma saying that there is no court stay on the de-notification of SEZs in the State.
“Sharma has also assured me that he will be personally having a talk with Kamat and the Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava over the issue,” he added.
Goa had scrapped 12 SEZs while three projects which were notified are still pending de-notification.
FOREIGNERS: Briefing the media, Naik said that the Centre will have to amend the Foreign Exchange Management Act, which would regulate the business conducted by the foreigners.
“I will be proposing to the Central government to have few amendments in this Act,” he maintained.
Naik has submitted the official memorandum to the chief minister over the amendment to the Article 371 of the Constitution of the India, which will empower Goa to regulate transaction of land.
He said an attempt was made by the State government by amending legislation act to control the land sale, which failed to get assent from the President of India.
He has also submitted a memorandum demanding special category status to Goa.
Naik has also said Goa should have a separate cadre of All India Services (AIS).
“There is very little that the officers from AIS do for Goa as they are here only for a short period,” he stated.
All these memorandums have already been sent to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
Naik also informed that the Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has assured him with declaring Bhimgad as a wildlife sanctuary, while Mhadei project will now be examined.
