SEZs give up status for land

Promoters of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are now queuing up before the state government for de-notification of SEZ status.

This is a fallout of the Centre indicating that the state government’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) is required to make the land a free hold, particularly to those firms that availed land from the government.

Once de-notified, the promoters can make use of the land for any real estate purpose. Or they can keep it till the market picks up and then sell it.

The government allotted its own land to several SEZs and in some cases it also acquired land from the private persons and in turn allotted it to SEZs.

Sources said the SEZ board of approvals of the Union commerce ministry has deferred the decision on Indu Tech

Zone’s request to de-notify 46.54 hectares out of its already notified 60.70 hectares. This will limit the processing zone to 14.16 hectares.

“Indu’s approaching for de-notification itself is illegal as it had committed to the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) not to reduce its SEZ area,” said a senior official.