Land acquisition problems delay major projects

  • 23/06/2008

  • Hindu (New Delhi)

Industry calls for "flexible transparent" allotment policy WAR AGAINST LAND RIGHTS: Anti-POSCO activists demonstrating in front of the company's office in Bhubaneswar in Orissa. Except in States that have built up huge land banks over the years, the inordinate delay in the completion or commissioning of mega projects has caused concern among industries and investors. Though Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and West Bengal are considered to be attractive investment destinations even now, industry sources say land acquisition in some of these States poses problems. Ideally, industry and investors like to deal with gover nments or their agencies to set up new units, and this will also include land. Increasingly, State governments want investors to deal directly with private parties to acquire land, which has become a sensitive and political issue in the wake of the controversy kicked up by the special economic zones (SEZs). Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been touted as