Knowledge SEZs ?

• EPZ, STZ, IT Park, Biotech Park, Food Park and now KNOWLEDGE SEZs???
  SEZs by any name are a mega land grab for real estate with the Government clearing the title of the land.
• SEZs are “a country within a country” (Govt definition) and outside the purview of the laws of the land.
• Even the argument of economic growth is a colossal con as the SEZs need to show only net profit.
• After all what has happened with the fraud of SEZs in Goa, anyone who supports SEZs in Goa is an obvious partner in crime against our motherland.
  
  In response to the following news:
  Willy, Khalap, Nitin favour knowledge cities
  NT NETWORK
  PANAJI The deputy chairman of the State Planning Board, Dr Wilfred de Sousa on Friday welcomed the recommendation of a sub-committee on knowledge economy constituted by the State Planning Board under the chairmanship of the noted Goan economist, Dr V A Pai Panandiker as regards setting up of ˜knowledge cities or knowledge industrial parks in Goa.
  The sub-committee, in its report, had used the terminology educational SEZs or knowledge SEZs for the knowledge cities or knowledge industrial parks.
  Speaking to The Navhind Times, Dr de Sousa said that such educational centres of excellence, providing advanced education, would definitely help the local students, a great deal. It a very good idea, he added.
  The former deputy chairman of the State Planning Board, Mr Ramakant Khalap, told this daily that although the report of the Dr Panandiker sub-committee came to him during his tenure as the Planning Board deputy, no discussion took place on the same due to various factors including short term of the then government.
  In fact, the recommendation of the report to set up educational SEZs or knowledge SEZs in Goa is very good, except the terminology used, now that the special economic zones have attracted controversy around them, Mr Khalap said, adding, the welcome concept suggested in the report should have stuck to the terminology knowledge cities or knowledge industrial parks, instead of the SEZs.
  It is a fact that the state is missing on so many things as far as education is concerned, including intellect, content and to some extent specialised faculty, Mr Khalap said, adding, The modern-day education, especially in advanced fields of science, is virtually galloping, while we have no facilities to train our local students in them.
  However, the government should first approach the people and discuss with them modalities of setting up such educational cities, followed by debates in the House over this issue, as suggested in the report, he observed.
  The former Planning Board deputy also noted that knowledge cities or knowledge industrial parks should not degenerate into real estate business, or commercial ventures like educational malls, which demand high academic fees, exorbitant capitation fees or donations.
  The government should strictly supervise such projects, he suggested.
  Welcoming the concept of knowledge cities or knowledge industrial parks, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman, Mr Nitin Kuncolienkar said the terms educational SEZ or knowledge SEZ are seen in bad taste due to the mishandling of the entire SEZ issue by the government.
  Stating that the government should now go for an alternate model for the development of Goa, the GCCI chief said that non-polluting knowledge industry is the best option as it can not only develop skill-based industry but also train the locals in advanced education, which would be very helpful in generation of jobs.
  Or else, a situation wherein the state will face an economic disaster in next 5 years, is inevitable, he added, pointing out that the trends, in this direction, have started showing.