'RIL's zone may take off if farmer package improves'

Two senior ministers in the Maharashtra government have said that Reliance Industries’ special economic zone (SEZ) project in the state’s Raigad district may take off if the company announces a better compensation package for farmers who are willing to part with their land.

“At present, the district collector is hearing suggestions and objections from people on the package announced by the company. We hope to receive the report compiled by the collector very soon,” one of the ministers said.

“If the report says a higher compensation package would be acceptable to farmers to part with their land, we will call the Reliance representative and convey the people’s wishes. If Reliance agrees to a higher package, we will give the final approval to the rehabilitation package,” he added.

According to the rehabilitation package announced by RIL in 2006, the displaced farmers will be given Rs 25,00,000 per hectare. Besides this, RIL promised a job to one person in each family in the industries that come up in the zone. This proposal was earlier approved by the state government in principal, subject to people’s commendation.

“By and large, RIL’s package is very good. I feel the opposition will die down if they announce a bigger package,” the minister, who is also an MLA from Raigad district, said.

“Those who are leading the so called anti-SEZ agitation are from outside the district. The people are not with them and you will find this out in the referendum, which is taking place on September 21,” the other claimed.