Aliya Abreu
Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane insists that the SEZ chapter is now practically closed, and that the FIRs against the promoters will definitely be withdrawn. When asked if the formula used to calculate interest to be paid to the promoters was just, Rane told The Goan that how the government had decided the amount to pay the promoters had no relevance now.
“How the interest was calculated has no relevance now because the then government had already submitted it to the Supreme Court. The matter stands closed. I am not the person who took the decision. The then Cabinet approved of the decisions that were taken,”
Rane said.
He added, “According to me, since the matter is resolved and an affidavit on how the matter is being handled and resolved was given in the Supreme Court, everything was decided based on that. Land worth more than Rs 400-500 crores has been unlocked, so what money was paid, and what land was got back is pretty high.”
Of the seven promoters who had bought the land, two are yet to return the land to the government, but Rane is convinced they will. “I am told that the other two SEZ promoters are also very keen on handing the land back to the government, and we will take it forward. I am very keen that the land comes back to the government, so we can decide selectively on green industries,” he said.
