Gujarat government today constituted a four-member ministerial team to look into all the aspects of the proposed Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region (SIR) and take a decision by August 15.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi formed the committee comprising finance minister Nitin Patel, revenue minister Anandi Patel, energy minister Saurabh Patel and education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and assured the protesting farmers in the area that decision will not be taken in haste.
Farmers of 44 villages have been protesting against the state government's decision to notify SIR, as they don't want to give up their fertile lands. About 50,880 hectares of land would be diverted for industrial use.
Maruti car plant at Hansalpur village on Viramgam -Becharaji highway falls in SIR, and the state wants to develop the region as an auto and knowledge industry hub.
No further action regarding SIR will be taken without taking the farmers into confidence, a government press release said.
Modi today met representatives of RSS-backed Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), BJP leaders from Ahmedabad and Surendranagar and 100 farmers from Mandal-Becharaji SIR.
Four representatives of local farmers can make representations to the ministerial committee.
Sagar Rabari of Jamin Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG), said the leaders who met Modi today reiterated the demand that land deal of MSI, and the SIR Act be scrapped.
