Shifting of Nanar project is just poll promise by CM to Sena: Sr bureaucrat Sena minister claims CM will denotify it, but State admin has no such instructions
Shiv Sena minister, Subhash Desai, though claimed CM Devendra Fadnavis will denotify the petrochemical project at Nanar in Ratnagiri’s Rajapur tehsil, the state administration had no such instructions till Thursday evening. A senior bureaucrat said Fadnavis do not want a revenue loss by scrapping the project, instead he may restart the land acquisition after the polls and his assurance to the Sena would be just a poll promise. Meanwhile, a self-proclaimed leader, who leads investors in Nanar land, has called a rally in Rajapur on Friday to pressure the government for not scrapping the project.
Speaking with The Free Press Journal, Desai claimed the CM would take a final call to nullify the refinery project proposed at Nanar within a couple of days. “The Ratnagiri collector has already sent his report to the CM after my announcement of scrapping the project. The CM will approve it within a couple of days and nullify the project,” said Desai.
About the land ownership, the industries minister said, “The land acquisition was not started. Only the area was notified and the property card (7/12 extract) of the landowners was endorsed with the co-ownership of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). The name of MIDC will be removed from the property card, and the farmers and landowners will get the land ownership,” Desai clarified.
He agreed the refinery is the biggest project and the CM won’t lose it. “A project worth Rs 3 lakh crore has potential to change the economy of the state. It will earn a huge revenue through the Goods and Service Tax (GST). The Reliance refinery has changed the financial status of the neighbouring Gujarat. The Nanar refinery will be a game changer for Maharashtra,” Desai said.
He added the Sena has opposed the site at Nanar and not the project. “Ashish Deshmukh (a Congress leader from Nagpur) demanded to shift it to Vidarbha, but it is coastal project,” he said.
Seconding Desai’s opinion, a senior bureaucrat said it will be a big mistake to scrap or shift the project from Maharashtra. He claimed, “The CM may nullify the project at the moment, but may issue a new notification after the polls. And, people will be persuaded by offering a good compensation. Whatever he said in the poll pact press conference, was his political compulsion, as he wanted to please Sena.”
An official from the Ratnagiri Petrochemical Refinery project said the media should adopt a wait and watch policy before jumping to a conclusion. A senior Sena leader claimed he met Thackeray and based on their conversation between Thackeray and Fadnavis, the decision will be taken before March 2, the last day of the budget session.