Reliance Info Gets Unused Land From Bengal Govt

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/821244.cms

KALYAN PARBAT

KOLKATA: The Left Front government in West Bengal has allowed Reliance Infocomm to take possession of unused state land and install telecom network infrastructure to expedite the second phase of Infocomm’s broadband and CDMA wireless venture.

An order was issued by West Bengal chief secretary’s office to all district magistrates and state principal secretaries to expedite the handover of such land in the state to Reliance Infocomm on long-term lease. Close to 350 plots have been identified and their sizes range from a tiny 37 sq m to 378 sq m across the state.

The West Bengal government decision comes amid similar approvals to Reliance Infocomm from the Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka governments for hastening the second phase of Infocomm’s national broadband and CDMA wireless venture.

In a bid to facilitate fast-track land possession to Reliance, all district magistrates in West Bengal have been designated nodal officers within their jurisdiction, and they will be required to coordinate with the state IT department and relevant district level officers.

Confirming the developments, West Bengal IT minister Manab Mukherjee told ET: “A state directive was issued on August 14 to expedite permissive possession of identified state land, which is lying unused, to Reliance Infocomm, given the sheer scale of the Infocomm broadband venture. Reliance will be required to pay standard long-term lease rates fixed by the state land department.”

When contacted, the Reliance Infocomm spokesman said: “I cannot make any comments on this issue.”

In this light, the specific state directive notes that Reliance Infocomm will be required to pay in Rs 3,500-7,500 range annually for each plot.