A number of political parties have recently been targeting Narendra Modi, the BJP's PM candidate for the Lok Sabha Elections 2014. However in the process, one person often defamed is the head of the Adani Group, Mr. Gautam Adani. Amid the highly charged election campaign, Gautam Adani on Sunday said he has received absolutely no special favours from Narendra Modi and his group has since 1993 acquired only barren waste land for infrastructure projects.
The $ 8.7 billion ports-to-energy Adani Group began acquiring land near the coastal town of Mundra in Gujarat way back in 1993. At that time, only one-third of a total landbank of 15,946 acres was acquired when Narendra Modi was Chief Minister, claims Adani.
In an interview, Adani said that not a single acre has been taken from any farmer. Adani said, "We went to Kutch when no one looked there and acquired only barren and desert-like land that was not suitable for agriculture,"
Adani has used this land to build India's biggest port, which loaded and unloaded a record 100 million tonnes of cargo in the year that ended on March 31, 2014. India's largest coal power station in the private sector has also been created and has sought great amounts of profits. Adani reiterated the fact that his group did not buy land at cheap rates to sell it to make profits.
According to Adani, when his company began to acquire land at Mundra in 1993, Chimanbhai Patel had charged 10 paisa per square metre. The BJP government led by Keshubhai Patel in 1995 had charged the people Rs. 1 per sq mt and Shankersinh Vaghela-led Rashtriya Janata Party in 1996-07, charged Adani's company, Rs. 1.5 per sq mt.
"Under Mr. Modi, we got some 5,000 acre of land at an average of Rs. 15 per sq mt rate," said Adani.
The Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in his political public meetings has often alleged that the largesse to industrialists like Adani to attack Narendra Modi. At a recent rally, Gandhi claimed that Modi has given Adani land for Re. 1, the price of a toffee.
AAP leader, Arvind Kejriwal too has also alleged a nexus between Modi and industrialists like Adani and Ambani.
Gautam Adani, a 51-year old Industrialist, sad that he is least interested in getting himself involved in the political slugfest but facts are different than what is being portrayed.
Adani said that when Modi became Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 his company got their first land under him in 2006 which was intended to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) under UPA government's SEZ policy.
"We wanted 10,000 acres but got only 5,000 acres. Now people are comparing the price we paid 20 years back for barren, non-agriculture land with the market rate of a land that has been developed with all facilities like road and electricity," he said.
Adani appreciated Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, saying that he has always been helping industries grow through the wonderful policies. "Modi government has not flouted any rule or regulation to help anyone. No special favours have been granted to us," said Adani.
Gautam Adani said that his Adani Group has worked with state governments in several states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Haryana for acquiring land for projects.
Adani plans to double his group's size by 2020. Mundra port capacity will be doubled to 200 million tonnes; electricity generation capacity will be raised from 8,620 MW to 20,000 MW and the group will mine 200 million tonnes of coal.
News Source: The Republic News Network
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