New Year gift for Goa: SEZs to be scrapped

HAPPY 2008, GOA: Twelve out of the 15 Special Economic Zones proposed in Goa will be scrapped.

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New Delhi: The Goa government has decided to scrap 12 out of the 15 Special Economic Zones proposed in the state.

Capping the row over the SEZs on New Year’s Eve, Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said his government will soon write to the Centre to scrap eight proposals pending for approval while the other four, which have already been approved, will not be denotified by the state government.

Three SEZs that had been earlier notified, will be referred to the Centre for denotification.

"As far as 3 SEZ's notified by the government are concerned, since we do not have the power we are taking up this matter of notifying with the central government,” Kamat told CNN-IBN, adding that the state had come to the conclusion after much deliberation.

Earlier, in the face of a raging controversy, a task force headed by Kamat himself had recommended the scrapping of the SEZs, terming them as 'detrimental to the overall interest' of Goa.

The announcement follows large-scale protests by the opposition and NGOs as well as a recommendation by a task force comprising veteran architects, including Charles Correa.

"The intention of permitting SEZs is to reap the benefits of industrialisation and consequent employment generation. These can be served without SEZs (also) if incentives are extended to incoming industries," said Charles Correa, while reading out the body's resolution, reported PTI.

"The required industrial development can be achieved if government focuses on providing excellent infrastructure in terms of roads, water and power to the incoming industrial units,” he added.

The task force noted that SEZs are not necessary for generating employment opportunities or growth in Goa. It also doubted revenue gains for the state because of the SEZs.

However, while it has scrapped the SEZs, the government is yet to act against the controversial Rajiv Gandhi Habitat Project, which is being described by locals as a multi-crore rupee scam.

Goa had proposals for 15 SEZs, of which seven were approved envisaging an investment of Rs 4,714.04 crores over the next five years.

With inputs from PTI