TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday declared on the Floor of the House that Goa will not have Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and that several hundred hectares of land acquired for the 12 SEZs would be utilized only for industrial development.
The announcement came following a demand from Congress MLAs Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco and Mauvin Godinho, who sought to know the government stand on SEZs. The opposition leaders demanded that the SEZ land should not be given back to the promoters but instead should be utilized for industrial purposes.
While stating that the SEZ project was moved by erstwhile Congress government, which turned out to be a land scam, Parrikar said, “My government’s stand is clear. It will take back the land and will utilize it for industrial development.” The project was done in haste and fraudulently by the erstwhile government,” he alleged.
The Chief Minister, replying during the Question Hour, said that the SEZ matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court and government will fight the matter vigorously. “Though, we are clear on our stand, we cannot predict what and how the Supreme Court will decide on the matter,” he observed.
The question was tabled by Reginaldo, who sought to know the exact status of the SEZ projects and when the government is likely to file its affidavit in the matter.
Refuting the allegation, Industries Minister Mahadev Naik said, “No assurance has been given to promoters to settle the issue and no negotiations were held with them.”
He said that the government is in the process of finalizing the affidavit to be filed before the Apex Court. “I cannot disclose the affidavit content,” Naik said.
According to the reply, 38,40,886 sqm of land was allotted for theSEZs by GIDC.
Agitations had forced the state government to scrap the SEZs.
