Mandal-Bechraji SIR won’t be forced on farmers,says CM

The committee comprises Nitin Patel,Revenue Minister Anandi Patel,Energy and Petrochemical Minister Saurabh Patel and Rural Development Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma.

Spread over more than 500 square km,this automobile,textile and auxiliary SIR will be located on the proposed Delhi-Mumbai Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC),a joint project by Government of India and Japan. It is also in between Ahmedabad and two major ports in Gujarat at Kandla and Mundra. Maruti-Suzuki has already announced a car manufacturing plant under this project. It is predominantly an agricultural area with no presence of any industry as of now. It is one of the total seven notified SIR in Gujarat.

Farmers from 44 villages,mainly hailing from Mandal,Viramgam and Becharaji talukas of Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts,have opposed the industrialisation on their fertile land. They had taken out a huge rally after a meeting with Cabinet sub-committee had failed to break ice in June. The Jamin Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG),which is leading the farmers’ protest,called Thursday’s meet with Modi as “victory”. In a press release,the farmers said,“The CM has assured to give some good news on SIR front.”