Uttarakhand Government not taking fertile farm land for industrial development: Bahuguna
Dehradun, Oct. 24 (ANI)
The Uttarakhand Government is not taking possession of fertile agricultural land for the purpose of industrial development, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said on Wednesday, and added that only unused land was being targetted for the latter.
Rubbishing the opposition's charge that fertile land of farmers was being acquired for the second phase of SIDCUL to be launched by him on Thursday at Sitarganj, his constituency, Bahuguna said the land in Sitarganj jail premises had been acquired by the previous BJP government in Uttarakhand for Rs.30 crore to develop a special economic zone in 2008 and was lying in disuse since.
He said there was nothing wrong in utilising a piece of land lying unused for the industrial development of the state.
Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand State Assembly Ajay Bhatt had earlier accused the Bahuguna-led state government of acquiring fertile land of farmers for the second phase of State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL-II).
He had also demanded a document on the activities undertaken by the state government under SIDCUL-I before going ahead with the launch of its second phase.
The chief minister said investment worth thousands of crores will be brought to the state without any industrial package or Central aid.
Big industrial houses and the Centre had given their nod for largescale investments in the state and a mega industrial policy will soon be launched to woo investors, he said.
"Luring investments to the state is our priority. It would not only add to the state's sources of income but also generate employment opportunities," Bahuguna said.