Business
Only eight percent projects stalled due to land acquisition
By
By PriyankaNew Delhi, May 16
Only eight percent of the
804 industrial projects across India have been stalled because of land
acquisition problems, an RTI query has revealed. The findings debunk
official claims that many projects are in the limbo as the Right to Fair
Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement (Amendments) Bill, 2015 has not been enacted yet.
According
to information received by RTI activist Venkatesh Nayak, as of February
this year only 8.2 percent or 66 of the total 804 projects have been
halted due to problems in acquiring land. Of these, 29 are government
projects and 37 are private.
The reason for stalling over 150
projects was marked as "others" in the RTI, not explaining what it
means. For over 120 other projects, data was "not available".
Around
95 or 11.8 percent of the projects were thwarted due to lack of
clearances (non-environmental), while at least 97 or 12 percent were
stalled due to unfavourable market conditions. Around 85 or 10.5 percent
were struck because of lack of funds and over 90 or 11.1 percent were
delayed due to lack of promoters' interest.
The Economic Survey
2014-15 presented in parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in
February had a complete list of stalled projects - in the public and
private sector - across the country.
Delhi-based activist Nayak sought details of the reasons why the projects were still hanging.
According
to the response by the finance ministry's department of economic
affairs, the projects stalled due to land acquisition problems are worth
over Rs.1,10,000 crore.
The data showed that merely around 30 projects were halted because of lack of environmental clearances.
Fuel, feedstock, raw material supply problem and natural calamities were also cited as reasons for halting projects.
There seemed to be more projects for the elite as compared to those dedicated for the poor and marginalised.
Nayak
told IANS that 75 projects were about building hotels and resorts, 34
about posh residences, 28 about shopping malls and five were about
constructing multiplexes, among others.
A road-widening project
in Bengaluru, four irrigation projects in Jharkhand and a campus each in
Haryana and Delhi were among those projects stalled due to land
acquisition issues.
Overall, the projects are about power
generation, airport construction or expansion, road and railway
expansion, pharmaceuticals, textile and software sectors, among others.
Nayak
told IANS that the largest chunk of 125 projects were from Maharashtra,
followed by 63 in Gujarat, 55 in West Bengal, 52 in Karnataka and 52 in
Telangana.
The maximum number of 12 stalled projects due to land
acquisition problems were also from Maharashtra, followed by seven in
Gujarat, six in Jharkhand and five each in West Bengal and Karnataka.
(Priyanka can be contacted at [email protected])