Fate of Goa's 3 SEZs hangs in balance

New Delhi, Jun 5 (UNI) The Goa government's anti-SEZ decision has pushed the fate of three notified special economic zones into uncertain territory with the Centre yet to scrap these tax-free enclaves and promotors waiting court verdict on the issue.

Although the state government had demanded denotifying the SEZs proposed to be set up by Cipla, Raheja and Peninsula, it has not yet sent any formal communication to the Commerce Ministry to scrap them, government officials here said.

Commerce Secretary Gopal Pillai said so far as the Centre is concerned the issue of notified SEZs was over, indicating its unwillingless to reconsider the issue.

Government officials said it was for the state government and developers to resolve the issue between themselves.

The promotors have filed complaints against the state government in Goa High Court which is likely to announce decision on June 17.

Without the issue of three notified SEZs having been clinched either way, the Centre has also deferred its decision on four SEZs which had been formally approved for setting up in Goa.

The inter-ministerial Board of Approval, however, gave a hearing to promotors of these four SEZs which had been formally approved by it earlier.

In the wake of Goa government's decision to scrap all SEZs in the state, the fate of these four zones, too, has landed in uncertain zone as the BoA has decided to refer their case to the Goa government in the wake of withdrawal of its recommendation in respect of these four SEZs.

The board, which met here yesterday, said it gave a personal hearing to the developers of these four formally approved SEZs in Goa but decided to refer their submissions to the state government for its comments as no representative of the state government attended the meeting.

UNI SAA MP RN1550