Tuesday, September 23, 2008

CENTRE SEZ YES TO 18 MORE PROPOSALS

New Delhi
The Economic Times

Despite uncertainty over the taxation regime for special economic zones (SEZs), the number of such zones is going up at a steady pace. The government on Monday gave formal approvals to 18 SEZ proposals, including IT SEZ in Haryana by Orient Craft Infrastructure, a steel SEZ by JSW Bengal Steel in West Bengal and a multi-product SEZ by Bharat Forge in Maharashtra. Ten proposals were given in-principle clearance, which would later be formally cleared when the developers have land in their possession.

With SEZs flourishing in the country, despite various restrictions placed on them, the Centre is determined not to allow compulsory acquisition of land for SEZs. Commenting on the referendum by the Maharashtra government at Raigad on whether farmers want to part with their land for the proposed Reliance SEZs, a top official from the commerce department said the Centre would not clear the project if the state compulsorily acquired land.

“Nothing prevents the state government from acquiring land and giving it to Reliance if they want to. But I will not declare it as SEZ (if) the acquisition is compulsory,” the official said. The Reliance SEZ, which was initially proposed on 10,000 hectare, has received in-principle approval. For a formal clearance from the Centre, it will need land in its possession.

The fresh SEZ approvals on Monday take up the total number of formally approved SEZs in the country, after the SEZ Act was passed in 2005, to 531.

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