Political wrangling has created hurdles and uncertainties for the project. When farmers decide to have their own Special Economic Zone, there may not be violence. But the road is not smooth as farmers of Avsari Khurd in Maharashtra have discovered.
More than 1,000 farmers from Avasari Khurd village had decided last year to form a private company "" a special purpose vehicle, which will, in turn, set up a multi-product SEZ spread over 2,665 acres.
Avasari Khurd is a village located around 40 km north of Pune along the Pune-Nashik national highway. It has always remained under the political influence of Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
A veteran in local small scale industry circle, Sopan Bhor, came forward to support the idea and the Government of Maharashtra approved the concept. However, the political divide among the farmers is now coming in the way of the people's SEZ.
The farmers are split in factions influenced by Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
While Sopan Bhor, the mentor of this project, enjoys support from the Congress faction, a large number of farmers, are under the influence of NCP leaders like State Energy Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. While the gramsabha of Avasari Khurd approved this project, which will be set up jointly by all farmers, a number of farmers later opposed the move following political polarisation.
The other big hurdle faced is land transfer deals which farmers have to sign. The gramsabha, which had earlier decided to promote this project, has suddenly back-tracked and wants farmers to do it on their own and political groups are trying their best to serve their vested interests.
"The proposal is really good but the concern is over its execution. If a farmer gives away his land and later, the projects gets scrapped, then it might be a big loss for him. The political pressures are building and farmers are finding it difficult to cope with it," a farmer, who owns around 80 acres of land said.
Says another farmer, in the Congress camp: "The local MLA belongs to NCP and the MP is from Shiv Sena. The people who are taking initiative are from Congress. Considering this, the project might face difficult days ahead."
Bhor, however, seems confident over his move. "All new and innovative proposals are initially opposed by a large number of people. But if the concept is clear, it receives positive response. Political interventions will not matter when it comes to development of every individual farmer," Bhor says.
Avasari Khurd Industrial Development Pvt Ltd will soon be registered. "We have received an approval from state government for this project. Once the board of directors are appointed and land acquisition agreements are signed with farmers, we will proceed for registration," he says.
The farmers have drafted a detailed proposal to set up this multi-product SEZ with an estimated investment of Rs 19,000 crore.
Various sectors, namely automobile and engineering (711 acre), electronic and electrical (145 acre), pharmaceutical and chemicals (145 acre), biotechnology and horticulture (145 acre), warehousing and transport (165 acre), wholesale and services (275 acre), infrastructure (777 acre) and residential (1050 acre) have been accommodated in this proposal.
The proposal also plans to seek permission to generate electricity using dam water and create world class infrastructure.
While Videocon SEZ planned near Pune and the land acquisition for the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park's third phase received a stiff opposition from farmers in Pune, this concept of all farmer SEZ might prove path-breaking.
