Centre gives nod to 34 more SEZs

New Delhi, Jan 2: The Government today approved 34 proposals for special economic zones (SEZs), including that of the state-owned Steel Authority of India at Salem in Tamil Nadu.

The board of approvals (BoA), chaired by Commerce Secretary G K Pillai, granted formal approval to 30 proposals and gave in-principle clearance to four SEZs. "An investment of Rs 56,000 crore has already been made in the 187 notified SEZs, which will create 1,00,000 jobs in 2008 itself," Mr Pillai told reporters after the BoA meeting.

He said the Central government will not cancel the notification status for SEZs in Goa. He said, "once a zone is notified, there is no provision to take the status back." Last week, the Goa government had decided to recommend scrapping of 12 SEZs. It had also decided to request the Centre to denotify three SEZs in the state. These SEZs are - Peninsula Pharma Research Centre, Meditab Specialities and K Raheja Corporation.

Mr Pillai said the Commerce ministry has not received any communication from the Goa government on the issue.

The Goa government had taken the decision in face of mounting pressure by various enviornmental groups whose activists held demonstration in the state during the year-end visit by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

UNI