Centre, states to discuss land issues tomorrow

The issues of land acquisition and ways to remove problems faced by foreign and domestic investors, especially at the implementation stage, are likely to come up at a meeting the Centre will hold with state industry ministers here tomorrow.

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma may flag up the problems of domestic investors, particularly with regard to the growing incidence of of agitations against land acquisition in several parts of the country, an official said.

Several states, particularly in the eastern region, have witnessed widespread protests against land acquisition for industrial purposes.

Industry ministers from the states, including those facing land related agitations, are expected to attend the meeting.

The Centre is particularly concerned over delays due to problems in land acquisitions for large plans like Rs 1 lakh crore steel projects of ArcelorMittal in Orissa and Jharkhand, the official said.

One of the proposals being debated is whether farmers parting with their assets be made equity owners in the projects coming up on their land, the official added.

Other issues to be raised would include how experience of the states successful in industrialisation should be shared with those lagging behind.