Jolt for Mukesh Ambani’s SEZ plans

India’s top industrialist Mukesh Ambani received a jolt over his group’s plans to convert Raigad district of Maharashtra into the country’s biggest special economic zone (SEZ) after the state government scrapped the plans for the company’s failure to complete acquisition on its part.

The state government issued a resolution to de-notify the land acquisition process with the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) failing to complete acquisition by Dec 2009 deadline.

The farmers can now use their lands the way they want.

Maharashtra revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat confirmed the denotification to media.

The government said it would not acquire any land for the SEZ and all land acquired earlier has to be returned.

Government sources said the decision was taken to protect the farmers’ interest as the land acquisition, to be carried out privately by RIL, was not completed withing stipulated time.

RIL was to acquire 70 per cent of the total land, but reports said only 13 percent of it could be obtained by the company in the face of resistance and adverse court judgements.

The state government was tasked to acquire 30 per cent.

The SEZ was to comprise 45 villages in Uran, Pen and Panvel talukas in Raigad district.

The land acquisition process had started in 2006, but protests and lawsuits followed.

The farmers were jubilant as many did not want to part with their plots.

The MahaMumbai SEZ Sangharsh Samiti, a group opposed to land acquisition for SEZ, has earlier moved court against the plans.