Friday, September 01, 2006

Kerala plans product specific SEZs

The State Industries Minister, Mr Elamaram Kareem, has said that the Government would set up three product-specific special economic zones in the State. They are for Textiles, Gems and Jewellery and Multi-Product SEZs. While the textile SEZ will come up at Kanjikode in Palakkad, the Gem and Jewellery zone will be established at nearby Kalamassery and the multi-products one in Kasargode.

According to the Minister, the State had so far received approval for six SEZs, including three product specific SEZs of Kinfra in the sectors of animation and gaming, electronics and food processing. Besides, the Union Commerce Ministry has approved three proposals for SEZs at Info Park in Kochi, Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and a port-based SEZ at Kochi port, he added.

Mr P.H.Kurien, Secretary, Investment Promotion, said on the occasion that a leisure SEZ was under consideration, for which a report had been prepared by a consulting agency. What ??? Leisure SEZ ??? You mean you want to promote hospitality and tourism and want a tax break, free land, etc? God gimme a break!!! Trust me if the Ministry of Commerce approves something liek a leisure SEZ, then every Politican in India will have a leisure SEZ assocaited with him.

The SEZ policy of the Centre is going to play a crucial role in the next decade in the country in employment generation, increasing exports, investment, introduction of new technology and creation of world-class infrastructure. So Kindly use it for the right purpose.

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