Facing all-round attack over Nandigram, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee sought on Wednesday a 'fresh look' into the Centre's policy on SEZs, which he felt should be restricted to select industries.
He also wanted the Centre to fix a ceiling on land for a particular type of SEZ and work out the percentage of land area to be compulsorily utilised for industries within that limit.
"The scheme for special economic zones requires a fresh look. Industry groups should be identified in the first instance which are to be covered under the scheme, instead of extending it to all and sundry," he said at a National Development Council meeting.
Bhattacharjee, CPI-M's posterboy of industrialisation, was of the view that since the minimum land requirement is prescribed, "there should be an upper ceiling of land as well for a particular type of SEZ."
The Central government has already fixed a land ceiling of 5,000 hectre for multi-product SEZs following mass protests by farmers in various states. The Bhattacharjee government in West Bengal landed in trouble after its plan to set up an SEZ in Nandigram triggered violent protests and clashes between CPI-M cadre and locals in the region.
He reminded the UPA government of its Common Minimum Programme commitment for transferring centrally sponsored schemes, along with funds, in the state subject to states and favoured a "Sub-Plan" approach for uplift of minorities.
Bhattacharjee pointed out that there was only a 'passing reference' and no 'substantial commitment' to increase land holding of the poor in the Eleventh