After UP strongwoman Mayawati’s no to corporate retailing in her state, it is the turn of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to put spokes in Reliance Retail’s ambitious Rs 500 crore farm-to-fork project.
Mr Badal has ordered a review of the mega project of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). The project had   been approved and set into motion during the Congress regime in the state.
Thorny issue
The thorny issue again revolves round acquisition of land for the project. The previous Congress government had promised to acquire land for the company to set up its retail outlets despite stiff opposition from farmers and land owners.
The new Akali-BJP dispensation is adhering to the policy of zero government intervention, with regard  to land acquisition for industrial projects. It is keeping in mind the wide public discontent against the government’s role as facilitator in acquiring land for corporate houses in many states.
“Certain clauses concerning land acquisition which are part of the MoU signed between the previous government and the company will be re-examined,” Badal told reporters near Ludhiana.
Badal claimed that his government was “in principle” favourably disposed towards the Reliance project.
He added that at the same time, the company would not be allowed to acquire farmers’ lands. The chief minister said the Punjab government would explore feasible ways to attract investment. 
Land at market rates
Even as Badal spoke of re-examining the MoU with  Reliance, his son, Sukhvir Badal, working president of the Akali Dal, minced no words while stating that Reliance Retail or any other corporate house would have to buy land at market rates from the farmers.
The Reliance project had envisaged hundreds of retail stores for fresh vegetables and fruits across Punjab. Reliance had also planned to set up several procurement centres to gather the produce from farmers. The company has set up seven Reliance Fresh stores at Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar.