Government puts fresh SEZ approvals on hold

Mumbai: The government will take up new proposals for setting up special economic zones (SEZs) only after a review of the functioning of those already cleared, commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath said after a meeting of the empowered group of ministers.

Nath said the group would meet to decide on new zone after 75 of the 150 SEZs that have been approved become operational, which is likely to happen in the next 5-6 months.

New proposals for setting up SEZs would be taken up by the Board of Approvals only after a thorough examination of the zones that are already operational, he said

The government had on August 22 cleared 46 new SEZs, taking the total number of SEZs approved to 150. The new list included two multi-products SEZs spread over 2,000 hectares by Essar in Jamnagar and AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation in Vishakapatnam.

While the SEZ promoted by Essar would have an area of 2,470 hectares, the APIIC's project would be spread over 2,309 hectares, according to a release issued here.

Of these, as many as nine are from Maharashtra, seven from Andhra Pradesh, five from Karnataka and four each from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.