Mamata Banerjee?s manifesto announcement that she would not allow Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in West Bengal has left exporters in a quandary and the Opposition CPM has found another excuse to berate the Trinamool chief on her ?lack of understanding of industry.?
The Trinamool Congress manifesto mentions; ?SEZ will not be allowed in Bengal,? but it doesn?t clarify whether it will put a bar on the new SEZ proposals, cancel all the 22 approved proposals, or make changes to the three functional SEZs — Falta, Wipro and Manikanchan. Though SEZs are governed by central agencies, it requires a state nod and facilitation to set up one. West Bengal passed the SEZ Act in 2003 prior to the Centre?s SEZ Act of 2005.
HP Budhia, chairman, Patton International, said it?s not clear why the manifesto has a single line saying SEZ would not be allowed in Bengal without pointing out to the problems of having SEZs. Former Engineering Export Promotion Council chairman Rakesh Shah felt that Mamata Banerjee might have related her stand about SEZ to land-grabbing that was being carried out by a section of investors.
RP Sehgal, former president of the Institute of Indian Foundrymen, felt that this issue would have to addressed if Banerjee formed the government. ?It seems that she will have a smart Cabinet to properly deal with such issues if she forms the government and we will make our representation to give her a real picture,? Sehgal said.
Sehgal said Banerjee?s plans might create a fresh roadblock to the 500-acres foundry park being developed at Howrah. It is expected to draw investment above R10,000 crore. An SEZ area within the park on around 125 acres is also proposed.
CITU state president Shyamal Chakraborty projects this issue as Banerjee?s anti-industry mindset. Chakraborty said the way she handled Singur, gave a clear picture of her poor understanding about the need of industrialisation in the state.