Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is planning to spend $3 billion for a new petrochemical complex at Jamnagar.The new complex will utilise residual gases generated from the two existing refineries, of which one is located in a special economic zone (SEZ), to generate further downstream products."The investment could be in the range of $3 billion, depending on raw material prices," said a Reliance official on condition of anonymity.
The government has failed to reach a consensus on the issue of setting up plastic reprocessing units in special economic zones and is likely to defer its decision once again in the meeting of the Board of Approval on October 21.
Created to develop special economic zones in the northern state, Reliance Haryana SEZ Ltd is a joint venture between Reliance Ventures Ltd, an RIL subsidiary, and Haryana State Industrial Investment Development Corporation.
The BoA also allowed three developers, including Unitech Infopark, to surrender their SEZs, he said, adding they would have to pay back the tax concessions availed while executing the projects and other pending dues.
Infosys has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design India 'Platinum' rating by the Indian green building council for its Software Development Block 3 in Mangalore and SDB 6 in Mysore, the company in a statement said.
A Union environment ministry's expert appraisal panel felt that the project proponent, CPL Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd, had failed to give requisite details for the proposed park in Dhandhuka Taluka in Ahmedabad.
Notwithstanding the widespread protest against the proliferation of special economic zones in the country, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is organising a seminar on the tax-free conclaves in Singapore on Wednesday in order to rope in global investors.
Villagers from Raigad and Nashik in Maharashtra and Mangalore in Karnataka speak about how their lives and livelihoods will be affected by special economic zones in their regions.
It is also stipulated that these units cannot under any circumstances source items locally for export purpose.
Senior officials from different ministries, including finance, home affairs and defence, would be attending the meeting. The last BOA held on August 11 had allowed Maytas Ventures, promoted by the disgraced former Satyam chairman B Ramalinga Raju's son, to surrender its biotech SEZ and approved three new proposals, including that of Brooke Bond Real Estates IT/ITES tax-free enclave in Karnataka.
The government has created a comprehensive budget with sharp focus on sustaining economic activity and investment but more clarity is needed on areas like taxation framework for adopting remote working on a long-term basis, IT body Nasscom said on Monday. The industry association noted that the IT/ITeS (Information Technology-enabled Services) industry has been a key driver of growth and jobs in 2020 and there is an opportunity to significantly accelerate it further. "For the IT sector, one of the biggest needs ahead of us is the development of future business models, with hybrid working becoming a reality. "We look forward for the government to provide clarity on providing a framework in direct taxes and indirect taxes for the industry to adopt WFH/remote working on a long-term basis," Nasscom said in a statement.
Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance has criticised the government for not doing a review of the tax exemptions given to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and an evalutation of the losses due to these.
Land acquisition for special economic zones has been a major bone of contention across the nation.
India's biggest real estate developer is considering a major human resource redeployment to boost efficiency and productivity. This may lead to a further reduction in its workforce at several recession-hit businesses, which the company denied. DLF plans to restructure verticals such as homes, offices, retail, special economic zones, hotels and infrastructure. At present, all of them have separate human resources, accounts and marketing departments.
Mahindra Satyam has approached the Commerce Ministry for more time to develop the three IT Special Economic Zones in Andhra Pradesh as it has decided to go slow on its expansion plans due to the slowdown.
Govt should examine how SEZs can overcome their main problems over land acquisition.
The special economic zone scheme seems to be in trouble.
A leading exporter said, there is enough stock of paracetamol in the country. At present, the US, which has become the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, needs paracetamol. He further said India would lose its credibility as the "pharmacy of the world" if it adopts protectionist policies during such a crisis.
Rentals for commercial complexes fell sharply and the land, developers felt, could be employed for other purposes.
Three years after the government brought in a SEZ law promising greater economic activity on the back of tax sops, the Economic Survey on Thursday expressed concern over 'proliferation' of Special Economic Zones seeking a check on them.
There is more good news for those looking for jobs at IT companies. Infosys plans to hire 30,000 professionals this year.
Weeks after confusion over three Mauritius-based funds whipsawing shares of Adani group firms, billionaire Gautam Adani on Monday said that "twisted narrative" seems to imply that companies have regulatory powers over their shareholders and can compel disclosures. Shares of port-to-energy group nosedived last month after reports that accounts of three of the six Mauritius-based funds that have invested most of their money in Adani group firms had been frozen by the national share depository. The three funds owned about $6 billion of shares across the conglomerate.
Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Sons Ltd, will invest Rs 3,500 crore (Rs 35 billion) in setting up an information technology Special Economic Zone at Taramani, Chennai. The project will have both commercial and residential projects.
The Kerala government has not excluded the industrial units situated in special economic zones from labour laws, State labour minister P K Gurudasan told the Assembly on Thursday. He was replying to a calling attention motion on the difficulties experienced by the employees of new generation banks, IT sector and private insurance and financial institutions functioning in the state due to non-compliance of labour laws by the respective units.
The Board of approval in the commerce ministry took these decisions along with approving two fresh proposals of Shyam Steel Industries and Limitless Properties in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively. The BoA also ratified extension of time to 23 developers, including Satyam Computer Services, for implementing tax-free enclaves in the wake of economic slowdown.
'Although Hong Kong weathered many a storm and displayed a remarkable resilience to bounce back, the developments in the territory have raised question marks with regard to its future stability and prosperity.' A revealing excerpt from Rup Narayan Das's Hong Kong Conundrum: Pangs of Transition.
'We have discontinued or replaced certain contractual staff, total number not exceeding double digits, in the north India operations involved in activities under the discretionary cost head,' a Reliance Industries spokesperson said in reply to an e-mailed query sent by Business Standard. According to some employees, who claimed to have been retrenched, the number of laid-off people is much higher. However, the company denies this.
The ruling came after Maha Mumbai SEZ Sangharsh Samiti, a local organisation opposing the SEZ, on Friday informed the high court that a public interest litigation relating to the project is pending before the Supreme Court.
Demand for special economic zones (SEZs) appears to be reviving even as realty developers are shying away from developing these tax-free enclaves due to liquidity crunch, according to experts who are tracking SEZs.
The proposed Direct Taxed Code (DTC) is likely to adversely affect the exponential rise in exports from special economic zones (SEZs).
The 100th Telugu film of Srikanth directed by Krishnavamsi, is made in mainstream format and therefore long, tedious and rather limiting. Srikanth has given a good performance -- perhaps the best in his career.
UK-based INEOS, the world's third largest chemical company, is exploring the possibility of setting up a catalyst unit at the Dahej Special Economic Zone in Gujarat.
The new Special Economic Zones, including the Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery, would help increase India's SEZ exports by 40 per cent this fiscal, righting partially the dismal picture of the country's total exports, according to government estimates.
The Bill has proposed that zones notified by the end of March 2012, will get income tax benefits. For units, there is a two-year additional window, with those commencing operations by March 31, 2014, likely to get an exemption.
Insurance funds will soon start flowing to special economic zone projects, agro-processing and infrastructure projects, domestic satellite services and social infrastructure like educational institutions and hospitals.
C P Joshi, India's Rural Development Minister, on Tuesday claimed that a Bill to provide for acquisition of land for industrial projects and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) has been cleared by the Cabinet and the timing of its introduction in Parliament will be decided by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry.
But contentious areas like special economic zones, capital gains and Ulips may see changes
"The 46th meeting of the BoA on SEZs to consider proposals for setting up of SEZs and other miscellaneous requests is scheduled to be held on May 31," it said.
Commerce ministry monitoring remedial measures to promote exports in key markets.
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