Land sale to Reliance opposed

Employees of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) are opposing the Punjab government's decision to sell PSIEC land to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd at "throwaway prices". They have alleged that the PSIEC is going to lose Rs 167.85 crore in the deal.

The land in question is 347.22 acres in Malout, Tanda, Muktsar, Abohar and Mansa, which is being sold for Rs 41.27 crore, against the reserve price of Rs 188.81 crore. Besides this, 169.49 acres of land at Goindwal Sahib is also being sold for Rs 2.53 lakh per acre, against the reserve price of Rs 24.60 lakh per acre.

PSIEC Staff Association Chairman GS Oberoi said, "Besides paying a meagre sum for the land, Reliance also does not want to pay compensation as decided by court in cases filed by the land owners. With this deal the PSIEC is going to lose Rs 167.85 crore."

He said this will reduce the activities of the corporation to a large extent and will ultimately lead to its closure. As a result more than 1200 PSIEC employees would be rendered jobless.

Oberoi said this deal will prevent thousands of unemployed educated youth from setting uptheir own small units.

This will jeopardise the aim of the corporation, ie to provide plots to small scale industries. He said they will file Public Interest Litigation, against the government's move, in the Punjab and Haryana High Court within three days.

The association organised a convention to broaden the sphere of their agitation. The convention unanimously passed a resolution, demanding the cancellation of this deal. They also demanded that Reliance should purchase land from open market to start their business project instead of buying it from the government.

Industry and Commerce Principal Secretary SC Aggrawal said: "These lands have not attracted potential buyers for past 6-10 years and out of total 388 acres of land, we havemanaged to sell only 43 acres.

As far as Reliance is concerned, we are going to allot them 292 acres of land at six locations (Malout, Abohar, Mansa, Muktsar, Tanda) whereas we are allotting 169 acres of land at Goindwal because they are paying the actual price of the land and the investment will also lead to spurt in land prices area surrounding the allotted land."

He said the PSIEC would retain 10 per cent of the land at each site for commercial development.