The Centre on Monday gave the green signal to 27 proposals for special economic zones entailing a whopping Rs 72,000-crore worth investment.
The big ticket projects that received formal approval include multi product SEZ in Maharashtra by Bharat Forge Limited and steel SEZ in West Bengal by JSW Bengal Steel Limited. Interestingly, the board of approval for SEZs also gave approval to one multi-product SEZ promoted by former Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal involving an investment of Rs 11,340 crore called Gujarat Vittal Innovation City Ltd that will come up on an area of 1,100 hectare in Gujarat. Of the 35 proposals before it, the board of approval for SEZs granted formal approval to 18 proposals with the required land and in-principle approval to 10 other projects.
The steel SEZ in West Bengal by JSW Bengal Steel Ltd will be set up in an area of 1,804 hectare and involves a proposed investment of Rs 15,321 crore. Bharat Forge?s 1,271 hectare multi-product zone in Maharashtra, that had earlier got an in-principal approval, on Monday got the formal nod and would see an investment of over Rs 5,000 crore. Though there were some reports that some farmers were opposed to the rehabilitation package offered for the Bharat Forge SEZ, the commerce ministry said there was no opposition regarding the land that they have procured so far.
Among other proposals that received formal approval are 779 hectare aluminium SEZ in Andhra Pradesh by Anrak Aluminium Ltd with an investment Rs 9,900 crore Orient Craft Infrastructure Limited IT/ITES SEZs in Haryana with an investment of Rs 540 crore.
Another significant one that got formal approval was the multi services SEZ in Maharashtra by Essel Infraprojects Ltd involving an investment of Rs 4,879 crore in over 110 hectare in Mumbai.
MIDC?s 101 hectare engineering SEZ envisaging a total investment of Rs 1,350 crore in Maharashtra also got formal nod alongwith Myron Realtors? Rs 695-crore IT zone in Gujarat over 10.93 hectares.
Airport-based multi product SEZ in Himachal Pradesh by Skil Infrastructure Limited over 3,230 hectare involving an investment of Rs 4,392 crore got the in-principle nod alongwith Multi Services SEZ in Tamil Nadu by Trac Technologies India Limited that is proposing an investment of Rs 4,824 crore. The government, so far, has given formal nod to 513 SEZs, of which 250 have been notified and 87 zones are operational.
Among the others that got in-principle nod was Multi Product SEZ in Tamil Nadu by M/s Tirunelveli Infrastructure Developers Private Limited of 1,000 hectare with an investment of Rs 5,542 crore. Larsen and Toubro Shipbuilding?s 467 hectare heavy engineering SEZ in Tamil Nadu was also formally approved.
