Mumbai: The government is preparing fresh guidelines for acquiring land for setting up special economic zones. The central government, which is facing flak from both allies and the opposition over its SEZ policy, has called a meeting of representatives of state governments to discuss the issue of land acquisition for these zones.

"We are meeting the representatives of state governments tomorrow to advise them on land acquisition for SEZs. The board of approval will lay down some general guidelines on this," G K Pillai, special secretary in the commerce ministry, said at a CII seminar in New Delhi.

He said, besides guidelines for land acquisition, the meeting would also consider the issue of putting up social infrastructure like roads, schools, hospitals and parks in these zones.

He said some companies like Bharat Forge have come up with novel ways of accommodating displaced people like offering equity shares and providing training and jobs in the SEZs besides monetary compensation for the land acquired.

The board of approval has so far cleared 150 proposals requiring 26,800 hectares of land, he said, adding these have already been acquired either by the state industrial development corporations or by the respective companies.

He said 225 applications are now pending before the board of approval, which would require another 75,000 hectares of land. However, he said, no land on which two crops in a year can be grown would be acquired.