Maharashtra May Amend Land Acquisition Laws

Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi said here on Sunday that his government was thinking of amending the land acquisition laws.

He also assured prospective investors in the state he would revive the Maharashtra Law Commission so that laws coming in the way of investment could be suitably amended by harmonising environment needs and achieving economic growth.

Joshi was addressing a seminar 'Privatisation in Maharashtra', jointly organised by the State Planning Board and the Maharashtra Economic Development Council.

The chief minister spoke about his experience during his recent visits to the Far Eastern countries.

He talked about the tremendous interest shown by overseas businessmen to invest in both the state and the country.

 

Joshi said the debate was not about whether privatisation was needed or not, but about how to make it more effective by minimising procedural wranglings. If it was necessary, the laws coming in the way of privatisation would have to be suitably amended, he said.

The seminar, attended by a large number of businessmen, industrialists, bureaucrats and economists discussed the Muralidhar Chaini Study Group's recommendations on 'Privatisation in Maharashtra.'

The chief minister ruled out the need for a separate body called Privatization Promotion Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd ( PPCM) as recommended by the M N Chaini Study Group to speed up privatisation.

He said the existing Infrastructural Board in the state as well as a special cell to help prospective investors were well equipped to take care of infrastructure privatisation.

The study group has recommended private sector participation in areas like ports, roads, industrial estates and townships, to be extended gradually to housing, health and education.

Joshi said privatisation is the order of the day as both the state and central governments are facing a funds crunch. Maharashtra has decided to give a big boost to the privatisation process, particularly in infrastructural projects, he said.

The chief minister appealed to the private sector to pitch in with the necessary funds to build infrastructural projects in the state.

He regretted that corruption and bureaucratic stranglehold continues to obstruct the privatisation process in the state and expressed his determination to smoothen it.

He was critical of rampant corruption and resolved to root it out to encourage private sector participation in the state.

Joshi was also upset that benefits of privatisation did not reach the common man and urged businessmen to harmonise profit with social interest. Prakash Jawadekar, deputy chairman, the State Planning Board stressed the need for wider public education to make privatisation a success in the state.

Muralidhar Chaini urged the state government to be firm about privatisation and argued for the creation of a proper environment for private sector participation in the state.

Subhash Dandekar, president, Maharashtra Economic Development Council, expressed his happiness that Maharashtra was on the forefront in pushing the privatisation process.