Reliance raises storm in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: After the Reliance Industries Ltd raised hackles in Punjab, its proposed SEZ in Haryana has also raised a storm with the main opposition party demanding cancellation of a deal signed between the company and the state government.

The Rs30,000- crore SEZ is  proposed to be set up on  1,715 acres of land. Indian National Lok Dal leader Sampat Singh, who has been a finance minister in the Chautala government, said administrative irregularities had been done to favour RIL.  He alleged land worth Rs8,500 crore had been given to the Reliance Group after acquiring it from farmers for approximately Rs350 crores.

“Farmers have been paid peanuts to favour the RIL,” said Sampat Singh demanding cancellation of the allotment of land.

The Haryana government had early this month given its approval to RIL for setting up a multi-product SEZ. The RIL and the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation will jointly form a Special Purpose Vehicle for the proposed multi-product SEZ, in which the state agency is likely to take a small portion of equity.

It would acquire 25,000 acres of land in phases and the state government at the outset will sell about 1,500 acres. “The deal in Haryana is much bigger and more controversial than a similar controversy involving the Reliance in neighbouring Punjab,” Singh said.

Singh also demanded cancellation of various power purchase agreements entered into by the state recently with private sector power companies alleging financial irregularities.