Even as the freeze on all decisions and notifications for fresh special economic zones continues, the government on Friday gave its nod for authorised operations in 30 notified SEZs, while granting co-developer status to five zones.
Reliance Communications has received approvals from Maharashtra and MIDC for its proposed 45-acre special economic zone.
The other two denotification routes are amendment of the SEZ Act through Parliament and through a presidential ordinance. The latter has been ruled out since Parliament is in session and there is nothing to stop the developers of the three SEZs from going to court if the government waits for the session to end. An amendment of the SEZ Act will not only need approval from the Commerce Ministry, but may also provoke political opposition from the Congress itself.
Undaunted by criticism by a Parliamentary panel, the government cleared 28 fresh special economic zone proposals on Thursday, including the Navi Mumbai promoted by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
Three special economic zones promoted by Mukesh Ambani and Anand Jain in Navi Mumbai are among among 36 proposals that got cleared by the Board of Approval on Friday.
The government on Thursday cleared six proposals for setting up special economic zones, taking the total number of such enclaves approved to more than 450.The Board of Approval (BoA), chaired by Commerce Secretary Gopal Pillai, took up nine proposals, of which five were granted formal approvals and one in-principle.
Hong Kong-headquartered Growth-Link Overseas has announced it would invest Rs 300 crore to build a manufacturing facility for Nike footwear at Cheyyar, near Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu.
The government on Tuesday gave formal approval to the multi-services special economic zone of Mukesh Ambani- promoted Reliance Industries Limited in Gurgaon and in principle approval to the company's port-based SEZ in Rewas.
Leading real estate firm Unitech's investment arm Unitech Corporate Parks Plc on Monday said it has received nod from the Board of Approvals for establishment of IT Special Economic Zones at Greater Noida and Kolkata.
Analysts point out that exporters outside SEZs enjoy Cenvat credit against service tax paid on a host of services subscribed to while engaging in export-related activities. In addition, the department of revenue recently permitted service tax exemption on seven services used by exporters.
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.
In Andhra Pradesh, a maximum of 2,044.15 hectares of land are lying vacant.
The Board of Approval on Tuesday cleared 10 special economic zone proposals, including three Mukesh Ambani-promoted IT zones in Navi Mumbai.
The eGoM on SEZ, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee could not meet since January 2007, as controversies and violent protests broke out on the issue.
The commerce ministry had, in March, put on hold this change in the SEZ rules.
Three special economic zones promoted by Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and his close aide Anand Jain in the same area have been listed for clearance on Friday.
The board formally approved 10 SEZs, including a 16 hectare IT zone of Tata Consultancy Services in Kolkata, Saloni Business Park Private Ltd's 27.5 hectare biotech zone in Thane and a 4.77 hectare electronic hardware and IT zone in Raigad, proposed by Modern India Property Developer.
First reversal after last year's protests in the state.
The Board of Approvals on Wednesday gave final clearance to 15 Special Economic Zones but deferred a decision on the Navi Mumbai zone promoted by Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani and Anand Jain.
The Reliance Industries special economic zone at Jamnagar in Gujarat, which had been given a sector-specific status (petroleum and petro-chemicals) earlier, was today modified to a multi-product zone by the board of approval, which met in New Delhi.
BoA has given formal approval to 15 special economic zones, including those of TCS and Cognizant, and in-principle nod to five, Commerce Secretary and BoA Chairman G K Pillai told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.
G K Pillai, chairman of India's Board of Approval for SEZs, demystifies SEZs and the controversy surrounding them.
G K Pillai, who heads the government's SEZ panel, demystifies SEZs and the controversy surrounding them.
The government on Friday the proposals of telecom giants Motorola and Foxconn, and Singapore-based reality major Ascendas to join as partners in the Special Economic Zones coming up near Chennai.
The meeting of the empowered group of ministers on special economic zones could not reach any firm view on on Monday while the government will take the rehabilitation policy to the Cabinet next month.
Protests by farmers to land acquisition notwithstanding, the SEZ juggernaut is all set to move on when the high-powered Board of Approvals takes up 37 more proposals, including two from Maharashtra, on Wednesday.
The developers of special economic zones may not get tax benefits for the money spent on meeting the contiguity norms.
CA Computer Associates India Pvt Ltd, which has an approval for setting up an infotech SEZ in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh, has informed the commerce ministry that it is withdrawing its application.
Bihar does not figure at all in the list of SEZs that have been given either formal or in-principle clearance by the board of approval. In sharp contrast, the Board has cleared a total of 550 proposals across 20 major states.
Even as the SEZ Board of Approval meeting, held in New Delhi on Thursday, deferred taking a decision on Essar's request to link its steel-based zone at Hazira
Faced by criticism on its special economic zone policy, the government is preparing guidelines for acquisition of land from farmers for setting up SEZs.
The Centre has asked the Maharashtra government to reduce the size of the Reliance Industries-promoted Mahamumbai SEZ as it involves acquisition of over 10,000 hectares of land.
Mumbai-based Zoom Developers, engaged in diversified businesses including real estate, plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) in the next three years to construct a 100 hectare IT-ITeS special economic zone at Indore.
New applicants for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) would have to wait for up to a year before their cases are considered by the Board of Approvals (BoA).
The government has also ruled out the need for an amendment to the SEZ Act, as was demanded by Left parties.
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