Smart city cannot accomodate new SEZ policy: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 7: Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Tuesday, Oct 7 said the new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) policy, formulated by the State Government with certain norms and regulations, would not be applicable to the Smart City Project in Kochi. Replying to questions after weekly-cabinet briefing, the Chief Minister said ''the new policy will not be applicable to the Smart City and other projects like Techno park, set up by the Government.'' Mr Achutanandan said since the Smart City and other similar projects were established with the initiatives by the Government at the Government land and already entered an agreement with the Government, the subsequent norms or policies would not be applicable to any of these projects.

The Kerala Government had come out with a policy, setting the norms and regulations for establishing SEZs in the State recently, since there was some confusion as to how the SEZ policy could affect the Smart City project, which was approved on the basis of different criteria with regard to utilisation of land area.

UNI