PAC to probe 2006 land allotment for SEZs
May 25th, 2011 - 5:15 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, May 25 (IANS) The public accounts committee (PAC) of the Goa assembly will probe the controversial allotment of huge tracts of land to private promoters for seven Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state in 2006.
A member of the PAC committee Wednesday told reporters that NGOs, which had protested and forced the government to withdraw its SEZ policy alleging a scam, were invited to hand over evidence to the panel.
“There may be some information available with the general public on this issue. We need to bring it on record. It will only help our investigation,” the PAC member told reporters on condition of anonymity after a meeting of the committee, headed by leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar.
More than 32 lakh sq mt of land was handed over to seven SEZ promoters — Meditab Specialities Pvt Ltd, Cipla group, Peninsular Pharma Research Ltd, Paradigm Logistic & Distributors, Planetview Mercantile Pvt Ltd, Inox Mercentile Pvt Ltd and M/s Maxgrow.
The state government was subsequently forced to denotify the allotment in the face of stiff civil society protests. The protestors alleged a multi-crore-rupee scam by ruling Congress politicians.
The Bombay High Court had also pointed to large scale irregularities in the allotment of land by government agencies.
“The PAC has asked government officials to explain why land was handed over to the SEZ promoters, even before a state SEZ policy could have been formed,” Parrikar said.
- Congress chief ministers part of Goa land scam: Parrikar - Dec 01, 2010
- Goa's land scam haunts two Congress ex-chief ministers - Dec 06, 2011
- Goa SEZ scam: Kamat still to read court order - Dec 08, 2010
- 'Smaller SEZs could have worked for Goa' - Dec 18, 2010
- Goa's SEZ policies creating 'monsters':Industry body - Dec 06, 2010
- SEZ promoters in Goa want over Rs.1,500 crore compensation - Aug 23, 2010
- Court to hear developers' plea in Goa SEZ muddle - Sep 07, 2008
- 'Goa government playing up to special economic zone developers' - Oct 06, 2008
- Goa speaker biased: Parrikar - Oct 08, 2011
- Goa minister goes against own government, supports SEZs - Nov 09, 2009
- Goa government withdraws SEZ policy - Jun 15, 2009
- People's audit of SEZ to include corporate, state members - Dec 20, 2009
- Goa PAC report could hit officials, mining companies - Oct 03, 2011
- After ousting Congress, BJP has to deliver on promises (Goa Newsletter) - Mar 24, 2012
- Truth will prevail: Kamat - Oct 05, 2011
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