Earlier this month, the state announced a 49‑year lease for 1,200 acres of land held by the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation in Haregaon village, a project earmarked for a green‑energy park under a public‑private partnership. The order, signed on October 5, bypassed the previously planned 5‑year pilot lease and the requirement for a competitive tender, instead granting the land to Vishwaraj Renewables Private Limited, a Mumbai‑based renewable‑energy firm owned by Sarang Lakhani, son‑in‑law of NCP MP Supriya Sule.
Anjali Damania, a local activist and former state legislator, criticized the deal on NDTV, saying the contract was signed without a public bid and that the 48‑year lease, extendable by another 48 years, was unusually long. She pointed out that the government had once committed to a PPP model in June, only to switch to a direct lease in September, and demanded a formal justification for the change.
The lease permits Vishwaraj Renewables to sublease the land to its subsidiary or another group company, subject to government approval, and exempts the firm from obtaining a no‑objection certificate from the State Farming Corporation. The decision was ratified in a cabinet meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Industries Minister Uday Samant and Environment Minister Pankaja Munde, following a June 23 discussion that had originally focused on a PPP model.
The move has reignited a long‑standing dispute over 7,376 acres of land originally seized during British rule, with original farmers still demanding restitution. In a statement, Supriya Sule said the business of her son‑in‑law was a personal matter and declined to comment further. The government is expected to hold a public hearing on the leases in early November, after which the state may open a formal bidding process for the remaining parcels.