SEZ should come up on wastelands: Renuka Choudary

The special economic zone (SEZ) policy in the country should have been such that industries could come up in wastelands, Union Minister of State for Woman and Child Development Renuka Choudary said here today.

Industries have the ability to develop its own infrastructure in wastelands and hence the fertile land can be utilised for agricultural purpose only, she said.

"The government has incentivised industries and trying to keep them in backward areas, but it did not work due to human tendency of migrating to urban areas believing that there is more transparency in urban areas," Choudary said.

The agriculutral sector in India lacks crop planning and it needs to have a comprehensive vision, the minister said while addressing a seminar on 'Marketing and Warehousing facilities for Agricultural Produce'.

Agriculture is viewed as farmer's responsibility, but there is a need for Public-Private Partnership mode in agricultural marketing, Choudary advocated.

She said a radiation processing facility for irradiation of agricultural items is coming up at Khammam.

The irradiation plant, will enhance the shelf life of agriculture produce and help give remunerative price to the farmers, she said.

Rashtriya Lok Dal MP Ajit Singh alleged that technological research never seems to reach the agriculutre sector, as scientists do not interact with farmers.

Despite stocks of fertilisers lying at ports, it never reaches farmers when they need it, he charged.

Fake fertiliser and non-availability of seeds is also adding to the woes of farmers, he said.