INTUC committee opposes SEZs

National Working Committee (NWC) of the Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has resolved to oppose the move of creating special economic zones ( SEZs) in the country and maintained that such zones can not be allowed to be created at the cost of the livelihood of agricultural workers.

MP and INTUC National President G Sanjeeva Reddy, who is chairing a two-day national working committee meeting of the organisation, said, "INTUC would oppose the SEZs because they were not in the general interest of the poor workers and the working class in the country.

He pointed out that SEZs should not be made on the fertile land leaving the farmers jobless.

Reddy said the SEZ policy was conceived with the aim to promote and accelerate development and boost the economy, besides promoting trade, industry and export. It was assured that this move would create 30 lakh jobs and increase 2 per cent GDP of the country but the investments present a different picture.

It was pointed out that the government had given approval to 237 SEZs, occupying 86,107 hectares, in 19 states. A rough estimate indicates that if these SEZs are built, nearly 114,000 farming households and additional 82,000 farm workers, which are dependent on these farms for their livelihood, will be displaced.

Most of the delegates and leading trade unionists, from 27 states of the country, strongly supported the move.

They said the government needs to strike a balance between the investors and the farmers in land acquisition.