Govt scraps 12 special economic zones
The government has scrapped 12 special economic zones (SEZs) located in Delhi, Orissa, West Bengal, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Parliament was informed today.
"Requests for de-notification by the developers have been received from 13 SEZs located in the states/Union territories of Delhi, Orissa, Gujarat ... Of which 12 have been approved by the Board of Approval," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a written reply.
Board of Approval (BoA), a 19-member inter-ministerial group headed by Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar, approves the SEZ projects.
Scindia said that the final de-notification is allowed only on refund of duties or benefits, "if any, availed by the developer."
The SEZs, which have been denotified by the BoA includes four IT-ITeS zones of realty major DLF in Haryana, Gujarat, and Orissa.
On the de-notification of three SEZs in Goa, the minister said that the state government "may have compensate the developers". However he said that the developers have approached judiciary and the matter is sub-judice.
"Goa government had recommended 15 proposals for setting up of SEZs. Out of these, 7 proposals were accorded formal approval by the BoA and notifications were issued in respect of three cases," he said.