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In the last year, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were a much discussed issue. Most of the discussion focused on two issues, viz. (a) the acquisition of land, rehabilitation, the consequences for farmers and agricultural output, and (b) the cost of the various tax benefits provided to developers of SEZs and the units to be located in them. While these are important issues, they address only the cost aspect of the equation. Taking another path, this paper tries to determine the expected benefits from SEZs and whether they are being achieved.

Land degradation is a global environment and development issue. Up-to-date, quantitative information is needed to support policy and action for food and water security, economic development, environmental integrity and resource conservation. To meet this need, the Global Assessment of Land Degradation and Improvement (GLADA) uses remote sensing to identify degrading areas and areas where degradation has been arrested or reversed. Within the parent LADA program, this screening will be followed up by field investigations to establish the situation on the ground.

Social impact assessment will be necessary for projects causing involuntary displacement of 400 families in plains and 200 families in hills Land will be acquired at market rate. If the

a primitive peasant rebellion is not quite in keeping with the modern India with its soaring Sensex, extravagant malls and industrious call centres. A ragtag militia of rabble-rousers mouthing Marx

A bill further to amend the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. This Act may be called the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act, 2007. It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as reference to the coming into force of that provision.

Sh. Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, clears the air about SEZs in an exclusive interview

Land resources are limited and finite. There is bound to be conflict over land use. In a developing country like India, land use planning is applied at four broad scale: national, state, district and village (or small watershed). Different kinds of decisions are taken at such level, where the methods of planning and kinds of plan also differ.

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