West Bengal was following its own alternative land policy and would not go for forcible land acquisition, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday. The alternative policy involves purchasing land directly.
Banerjee, who skipped the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi today, said the State “cannot wait indefinitely for the Centre to come up with its land acquisition policy”.
“We have framed an alternative land policy where direct purchase can be done through negotiations without any forcible acquisition,” she said at the State government’s 100th administrative meeting held at Burdwan.
“We cannot wait indefinitely for the Centre to come up with its land acquisition policy, so we have started following this model. We have taken the people into confidence while acquiring land,” the Chief Minister said.
Citing instances where the State had been able to give land to big projects, Mamata said land was given for the greenfield airport at Andal, NTPC's project at Katwa, amongst others.
Business corridor The CM further said the State government is contemplating setting up a business corridor at an estimated cost of ₹2,000 crore.
The money would be spent on developing infrastructure at border points like widening of roads, creating approach roads and rail over-bridges.
The corridor would look to help boost trade, travel and tourism ties with South Asian countries, in line with the “Look East” policy of the Centre. “We will tell the Centre about this plan,” she said.