The Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs has raised the issue with the Finance Ministry and is expecting a favourable response in the Budget. At present, units in the DTAs have to pay two per cent CST on goods bought from the special economic zones.
'A cursory glance at India's SEZs suggests they were not nearly as well located' as compared to China, it in its World Development Report 2009. It added that 'poor location is the main obstacle to success.' In 2007, SEZs were approved in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, as well as in the interior states of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, the report said. 'Even in the coastal states, many SEZs are not along the coast,' it said.
Raheja's IT SEZ planned at Verna industrial estate had faced stern opposition from the locals and the state government even after it was notified by the Union commerce ministry's board of approval. The state government has written to the Union commerce ministry seeking to denotify Raheja's SEZ along with two others.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday the vibrant western Indian state has become India's special economic zone, attracting both foreign and domestic investors.
The multi-product SEZ will bring in more than Rs 2.11 lakh crore of net foreign exchange in 30 years.
Corporate India is starting to step up its capital expenditure plans amid government incentives and signs of rising demand, company executives and analysts have indicated. This coincides with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently citing a double-digit growth in private capital expenditure. Healthy balance sheets of banks and corporates, along with increasing capacity utilisation and improving business sentiment, are contributing to a favourable environment for sustained growth in private sector investments, the RBI said in its policy last week.
A policy was introduced on 1 January 2000 to set up special economic zones in India to provide an internationally competitive environment for exports.
NIIT Technologies said on Tuesday it has got the regulatory approval to set up a special economic zone in Greater Noida.
Nasscom, the apex body for IT software companies has sought changes in the SEZ Act for the benefit of small firms which constitute a significant number in the industry.
A day ahead of the interim Budget, India slashed import duty on spare parts, like battery cover, lens and SIM socket, used in mobile phone manufacturing to 10 per cent, from 15 per cent. The duty cut is aimed at boosting local production and exports, as well as reducing prices in local markets. The finance ministry on January 30, notified the cut in duty on all goods for use in manufacture of cellular mobile phones to 10 per cent.
Reflecting the enthusiasm among private companies for setting up special economic zones, the board of approval for SEZs will consider over 100 proposals on March 17 - its first meeting since the implementation of SEZ Act and Rules last month.
However, the ministry of law opined that though there is no specific provision in the SEZ Act and Rules, the power to notify includes power to de-notify also, sources said. Industry experts said that the SEZs which are finding it difficult to continue should be allowed to quit.
In addition to the negative sentiment as a consequence of changes announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 concerning tax treatment for debt repayment distribution, concerns about hiring slowdown and its leasing impact, as well as higher interest rates, could blight the sector in the near term.
The direct taxes code Bill, which was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday, has made further concessions from what was originally proposed.
Anti-Special Economic Zone agitation in panaji on Friday got celebrity support with noted singer Hema Sardesai joining the day-long hunger-strike by Goa's Movement Against SEZ. Goa's Movement Against SEZ, an umbrella organisation of NGOs, individuals and political parties, including BJP opposing setting up SEZs in the state, has camped just a km away from main venue of the International Film Festival of India.
The empowered group of ministers, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had imposed a 5000 hectare ceiling on SEZs last year following widespread protests over land acquisition. The meeting of the eGoM, scheduled for February 4 to review the land ceiling was cancelled.
The government on Friday cleared seven co-developers in Mukesh Ambani-promoted Navi Mumbai SEZs, thus endorsing fresh investment through private equity players by a key partner of the Reliance Industries chairman, Mukesh Ambani.
On other counts, however, RBI has not found merit in the commerce ministry's argument to keep loans for SEZ development outside the ambit of commercial real estate exposure. It has reiterated that bank exposure for purchase of land for an SEZ and its development, will be classified as commercial real estate, while infrastructure development will not be treated in the same manner.
Investors are apprehensive about the draft Direct Taxes Code.
Reflecting lack of enthusiasm about the SEZs, 20 more promoters have sought additional time from the government for implementing their projects, taking the number of developers seeking extension to over 200.
Releasing a report of public hearings conducted in various SEZ areas in the state, a member of the group, Professor Shanmugam Velayutham of the Chennai-based Loyola College, said land for the purpose of SEZ was 'being acquired from farmers' and handed over to big business houses, at the 'expense of the former's livelihood.' There was a danger of some real estate mafia exploiting the situation to secure some land for their business.
IT companies would be entitled to the same tax benefits as SEZ developers.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the Finance Ministry to remove a flaw in the tax laws, which would help IT/ITeS SEZs, even as the government is considering relaxing rules for tax-free enclaves across sectors on sales in the domestic market.
'All those who participated in the agitation were branded as anti-nationals.'
There is no logic behind special economic zones, which destroy one form of manufacturing to promote another, says Medha Patkar.
This move to sell a part of its land holding in one of its SEZ is part of an overall move by GMR to exit some of its assets as part of its 'asset light -- asset right' strategy.
The extent of disillusionment can be gauged from the fact that even tax sops for units in the SEZs could not help revive the dampening spirit. The year has seen a change in the sentiment, which has turned for the worse in the last three-four months. Scores of big corporate houses were making a beeline for developing special economic zones, billed as the new investment destination that assured tax-free income.
Leading realty firm Parsvnath Developers Ltd on Friday said it has put on hold 12 Special Economic Zone projects across the country due to credit crunch.
Even as several SEZs are struggling to get off the ground, the Mahindras have managed to kick off their second SEZ at Jaipur, after their first one in Chennai.
An empowered group of ministers had effected on April 5 major changes in SEZ rules, also setting the 5,000 hectare cap.
On April 5, the Empowered Group of Ministers put a cap on size for SEZ to 5,000 hectares after land acquisition in Nandigram, West Bengal turned violent killing 14 persons in police firing.
Offers 2,000 acres in Pune's Saswad taluk.
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