Ficci forms panel on WB land acquisition issue

Ficci has set up a task force to look into the issue of land acquisition in West Bengal keeping in view the state government's stand that industry would have to directly acquire land for its use.

"A task force has been set up recently by the West Bengal Ficci council to study the issues with respect to land acquisition in the state. The panel will go into all aspects and submit its suggestions," Ficci president Harsh Mariwala told reporters today on the eve of trade body's national executive meet here tomorrow.

He said that at the national level, Ficci was of the view that the onus of land acquisition for industry rested on the industry itself.

But since, there are several state legislations in West Bengal which barred acquisition of land in excess of 23 acres, the task force would study ways to deal with the situation in view of the government's declared stand that land had to acquired by the industry directly.

Mariwala said that nearly 115 Ficci members, the highest ever so far, have agreed to attend the meet.

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would skip the meet. The state government would be represented by Finance minister Amit Mitra and Industry minister Partha Chatterjee.