Wednesday, September 20 2006 17:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Faced by criticism on its SEZ policy, the Government is preparing guidelines for acquisition of land from farmers for setting up Special Economic Zones.

"We are meeting the representatives of state governments tomorrow to advise them on land acquisition for SEZs. The Board of Approval will lay down some general guidelines on this," G K Pillai, Special Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, said at a CII seminar here.

The meeting is also likely to consider norms for putting up social infrastructure such as schools, roads, parks and hospitals in the zones. Though no new cases would be taken up, the BoA would discuss the cases that have already been given in-principle approval.

The government's move to lay norms for land aquisition comes in the wake of severe criticism from several quarters who allege that farmers were being pushed out of their land to benefit a few big companies.

Pillai said some companies such as Bharat Forge have adopted innovative models to take along displaced people by offering them equity shares, provide training and jobs in the SEZs besides monetary compensation for the land.

He said the 150 proposals cleared by the BOA so far would come up on 26,800 hectares of land, which was either already acquired by state industrial development corporations or companies and there was no fresh acquisition.

In the 225 applications pending before the BoA, 75,000 hectares of land would be required, he said, adding no land on which two crops in a year can be grown would be acquired.