C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: After the Madras High Court declared as ‘illegal’ changes by Tamil Nadu government to the Centre’s Land Acquisition Act exempting three State legislations from its purview, the State government has brought in amendments and the Act is before President for assent, according to State Industries secretary N Muruganandam. He told Express on the sidelines of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) conference on 1st India--CLMV Reverse Buyer Seller Meet on Tuesday that the three legislations providing for acquisition of land by State government are Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Scheme Act, 1978, Tamil Nadu Acquisition for Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997 and Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. The matter relates to the amendment made to the Centre’s Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 by inserting a new section, 105 A. The Act was amended after Madras High Court said to revive these Acts, the State must re-enact these statutes, in accordance with Article 254 (2) of the Constitution and obtain the assent of the President. “Merely, by inserting Sec. 105-A in the 5th Schedule in the new Act, these impugned enactments do not get revived,” the court observed. Several projects including the modernisation of Chennai airport under second phase, Chennai Metro Rail project under second phase and projects around `2 lakh crore are hit due to the judgment. On the Memorandum of Intent signed for development of maritime communications between Chennai and Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East Region after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the secretary said Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation is in talks with Rusiian officials. This shipping link would enable transfer cargo between Chennai and Vladivostok in 24 days in comparison to over 40 days currently taken to transport goods from India to Far East Russia via Europe. He also said the State, in a bid to boost its ranking in Ease of Doing Business, is planning to have a new single window portal which will cater to 54 services provided by the State government departments. Muruganandam said that currently the State is providing 24 services under the single window portal. “We will be introducing the new portal in the next six to seven months and it will cater to 54 services,” he said. Gautam Mukhopadhaya, Chairman, CII CLMV Task Force and visiting fellow, Centre for Policy Research, said Chennai is at the epicentre of global economy and particularly the Asian economy connecting Eastern Asia through South East Asia to India and beyond. Trade delegation to China Days after India and China agreed to boost sisterly relations between Tamil Nadu and Fujian province in China, Industries secretary N Muruganandam said a trade delegation will be sent to China and Taiwan later this month to boost leather trade. Speaking on the sidelines of 1st --CLMV Reverse Buyer Seller Meet’ Building Economic Integration Through Value Chains, he said a delegation is planned to Taiwan and China on October 23 to discuss leather trade. He said this is a regular trade delegation.

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