Veteran Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Industries minister Subhash Desai, who recently completed 75 years, is under attack from the opposition for the de-notification of land in Nashik district for the benefit of developers close to Shiv Sena. In an interview with Sanjay Jog, he denies charges and explains his department's stand.

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With Opposition pressing for housing minister Prakash Mehta's resignation in connection with the alleged floor space index scam, you have been criticised for flouting rules to denotify 400 acres of land to benefit private developers. What is your take?

Had leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde done his homework well before leveling charges against me, he would not have made these allegations. Munde was referring to 270 hectare of land at Igatpuri in Nashik district. During the Congress-NCP government rule, a majority of the 270 hectare of land at Igatpuri was already denotified. According to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the remaining land was not developable as it was scattered.

Besides, farmers and people in the neighbourhood opposed the acquisition and they did not even allow the MIDC to conduct the measurement of land. After considering all these facts, MIDC suggested that the remaining land also be de-notified as implementation of industrial area was not be a workable proposition. Therefore it was de-notified without considering anyone in mind.

I will reply at length to the allegations made against me on the floor of the state council as I have every right to do so.

Opposition claimed the land in Igatpuri was not only denotified but transferred to the developers close to Shiv Sena. What is the reality?

There is no truth in this. The land after denotification will go back to the farmers who will be free to do what they want.

Are you being a soft target chosen by the Opposition? Is it also due to an ongoing tiff between BJP and Shiv Sena?

I do not care whether I have been targeted with an ulterior motive or if they have any political issue. I have to deliver results and continue working at what I have been assigned. I am not deterred by such allegations.

As far as Shiv Sena and BJP are concerned, they are two different parties. There are differences but when it comes to development, we are together. Ministers from both parties have to strive for better performance. The message from Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is do your job honestly and perfectly. We have to strictly abide by that.

How much land has been denotified during the present regime?

MIDC has denotified land in Kolhapur, Nanded, Latur, Pune and several other districts after representation from the public and farming community. Those lands were in the possession of MIDC but remained unused. Therefore it was prudent to return them to the farmers.

MIDC also took over several plots from the investors as they remained idle for years together. What is the present status?

When I took over, many people complained that MIDC refuses to give land when several plots were lying vacant or unused. It was unfair. MIDC served notice to those investors who were allotted lands and started their acquisition. More than 2,000 such plots have so far been acquired and presently, they are in MIDC's possession. These lands will be distributed to the investors who will quickly set up their factories which will spur growth and create more jobs.

As per MIDC policy, where there is heavy demand and plots are less, there the allotment will be done through a tendering process. However, where the land is abundant with less demand, MIDC will allot directly.