Nagpur: The State government came under heavy criticism from the opposition in the Council on Thursday over the land given to Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Limited at “throwaway rates”.
It has come to live that a piece of land estimated at Rs 268 crore was allotted to the company for only Rs 58 crore. This issue was raised by Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt in the ongoing session of Maharashtra assembly who went on to claim that non-SEZ land did not have any approach road initially and was constructed later.
Raising the issue during Question Hour, senior Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt alleged that the land to the Patanjali was given at INR 25 lakh per acre in MIHAN project area in Nagpur as against the market price of INR 100 crore per acre.
“Two officers – Sameer Gokahle and Atul Thakare — were transferred for giving information about the land transfer through RTI. You are doing nothing for the state’s farmers and providing land to some Babas at throwaway prices. Acharya Balkrishna (the CEO of Patanjali) is the eighth richest man in India according to Forbes magazine. By giving land at cheaper rates to such people, this government is proving that it’s a government of rich and not of poor. The land, worth INR 268 crore, was given to Patanjali at INR 58 crore. Patanjali runs for the commercial purpose, not for charity. Why are you giving concessions to them? This is one of the biggest scams under this government,” Mr. Dutt alleged.
The Congress MLC also questioned the basis on which the land was given.
“Your contract said the land will be taken back in six months if the work does not start and if production doesn’t start in 18 months. What has happened in last one and a half years? Did you take bank guarantee from Patanjali in case the project does not succeed?” Mr. Dutt asked.
In his response, the Minister of State for Tourism Madan Yerawar claimed that proper procedure was followed in the sale of land to Patanjali. “The land was kept for a food park. Global tenders were issued thrice. Full transparency was maintained while giving land. They have started work and production will start soon. The government’s motive is absolutely clear,” the Minister said.
NCP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Council Dhananjay Munde also raised questions over the process of land transfer and sought to know which other companies had competed.
Mr. Yerawar claimed that all the conditions of the tender were fulfilled and the officers were transferred for administrative purpose.
Senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil accused the opposition of wasting time over the issue and asked them to approach the court.
Mr. Munde asked why the price was reduced.“They (Patanjali) are talking of producing jeans pants and this government does not want us to ask questions,” he said.
The Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimabalkar asked the minister to arrange a trip for the opposition members to the project site.
