--- On Tue, 28/10/08, CK VISHWANATH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 10:23 PM, Sukla Sen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Reproduced below is the Abstract. > For the complete text, look up > <http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article11799.>. > Comments are highly welcome. > > Sukla > > Abstract > > In the recent days, the issue of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) has come to > occupy a highly visible slot in the national discourse, particularly since > early 2007 – fairly dramatically catapulted to the national centre-stage by > the blood-soaked and protracted mass resistance in, erstwhile obscure, > Nandigram, in West Bengal. > > The idea, however, is not entirely novel – either globally or even > nationally. Its earlier predecessors were usually termed as Export > Processing Zone (EPZ), Free Trade Zone (FTZ) etc. > > The first EPZ in India, also the first in Asia, had been set up in Kandla > way back in 1965. The Special Economic Zone Act 2005 came into force, rather > recently, with effect from 10th February 2006. Prior to that, the SEZs in > India functioned, replacing the earlier EPZ regime, from 01.11.2000 to > 09.02.2006 under the provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy. While the idea > of creating especially dedicated enclaves geared to export of products > enjoying handsome special incentives runs through like a constant red thread > from the EPZ to the SEZ, the break-points are essentially defined in terms > of (radical expansion of the) the scale of operation and their projected > roles in the economy in general. > > The transition from EPZ to SEZ essentially coincides with and, in fact, is a > reflection of the momentous shift from the initial stage of "economic > development" in post-colonial India with the "state" in the driving seat in > the form of building infrastructure, setting up of and owning major > industries – particularly with massive investments and long gestation > periods, providing necessary supports and protections to the nascent > indigenous entrepreneurs to come up and assume much bigger roles in the days > to come. The current stage is defined by radically raised level of > self-confidence and assertion on the part of the, by now fairly matured, > Indian entrepreneurs – particularly its top layer, and consequent salience > assumed by private capital – indigenous, and also foreign, and the > foregrounding of free-market philosophy, which, however, operates rather > selectively – as in case of the SEZ itself. > > The objections to the SEZ are mainly on three counts: (i) displacement > caused by land acquisition for the SEZs; (ii) revenue loss suffered by > national exchequer on account of massive tax concession; (iii) the various > implications of SEZs as quasi city-states. > > The resistances on the ground, which are fairly widespread and at places > pretty massive, are, however, only on the first count. > > The snowballing resistance has been, to a significant extent, able to make > its presence felt. The two most spectacular success stories are Nandigram > and Goa. Quite significantly, the ground rules of operation of the SEZ have > since been modified. A new R&R policy is notified. And the Land Acquisition > Act is due to be amended. > > But the fundamental driver for the SEZ, the shift in the conceptual > framework of "economic development" – a decisive and brazen tilt on the part > of the state in favour of private capital – indigenous and foreign, and > "free-market" – is yet to face any major threat. Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
