The Sindh government has introduced 'Land Grant Policy' for poor farmers in the 2008-09 Budget for 'absolute' elimination of feudalism from the province. "Absolutely, this is to eliminate feudalism and change this (feudal) mindset," Sindh Minister for Information Shazia Marri told Business Recorder when asked if the Policy, under which 212000 acres land would be granted to landless farmers, could be termed as a step towards elimination of feudalism in the province.

MUMBAI: Farmers affected by the Reliance group's Mumbai Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) blocked the Mumbai-Goa highway at Vashi Naka near Pen in Raigad district for over two hours on Tuesday alleging that the government went back on its assurances. The protesters led by senior Peasants and Workers Party leader N.D. Patil were later arrested.

Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has appealed to all Goans, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or political affiliation, to remain united and strengthen the hands of Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat in the fight against the establishment of Special Economic Zones till the last stone is unturned in the larger interest of the state.

Despite various initiatives taken by the Centre, including soil and water management activities, 32.75 per cent of the country's geographical land is still affected by various forms of land degradation or desertification.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday said that it would launch an agitation in Uttar Pradesh to expose exploitation of farmers whose land had been acquired for various projects, including numerous housing schemes, at throwa-way rates. Law and order had deteriorated and Dalits and women we're suffering, PCC president Rita Bahuguna said, while releasing a list of 21 Ministers who, she alleged, had a "criminal background."

The state BJP Bhoo Parirakshana Samiti convenor, Dr S. Malla Reddy, said that farmers were meted out injustice in land acquisition for establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and urged the state government to take steps to help them.

Documents on SEZs (special economic zones) reveal that altogether 19 companies had applied to the Goa government for setting up SEZs in the State. Of these, the Pratapsing Rane-headed coalition government had made recommendation to Board of Approvals, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, in 15 cases. These included two government SEZs promoted by Dayanand Narvekar-headed Information Technology (InfoTech) Corporation, namely IT Habitat in Dona Paula and IT Park in Socorro.

The Steering Committee of the Civil Aviation Ministry, which considered the proposals of the Karnataka government to set up greenfield airports at Gulbarga, Bijapur, Hassan and Shimoga, on Friday granted "in principle' approval for the projects. The approval is subject to the condition that the Standard Operating Procedure will be formalised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Defence Ministry on air space management of the airports at Gulbarga and Bijapur in view of the defence operations in Pune and Bidar.

At long last, we have direct action from the government on the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that neither the Goan people nor the Goa government want, but the Union Commerce Ministry seems to want to impose on the people of Goa. By cancelling in one stroke the land given to the SEZs for gross irregularities in its allotment, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has gladdened the heart of every Goan.

SEZ tale in Goa has been of favouritism, irregularities, procedural impropriety, and totally anti-Goa. Since it was first discussed in December 2004 during the BJP regime, SEZ story took a monsterous form in 2006. Pratapsing Rane was the chief minister and Luizinho Faleiro the Industries Minister.