Bengal set to announce new norm for special economic zones

Our Bureau

To earmark 50 pc land for industrial usage

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New framework
Aims to ensure creation of adequate quality urban infrastructure to
attract investments across the State.
To keep a check on the developers, the Government is following
private-public partnership model through its nodal agency West Bengal
Industrial Development Corporation.
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Kolkata, Nov. 16

In a deviation from the Centre's SEZ (special economic zone) policy
which earmarks 25 per cent land use for industrial and the rest for
infrastructure and commercial development, the West Bengal Government
has earmarked at least 50 per cent land for industrial usage, 25 per
cent for infrastructure and 25 per cent for commercial or real-estate
development.

"We are set to announce a new guideline for commercial development in
SEZs," a State Government source said on Wednesday.

"The new guideline will offer wide choices to the developer underlining
the scale of development needed in each category. For example if the
developer prefers to set up a hotel instead of a resort or say a
community swimming pool, the guideline will determine the size or
category of the proposed hotel," he said.

The new framework aims to ensure creation of adequate quality urban
infrastructure as part of its long-term plan to attract investments
across the State.

In order to keep a check on the developers, the State Government is
following private-public partnership model through its nodal agency West
Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

The source said: "Instead of acquiring the entire 10,000 acre plus land
and handing it over to the developer, we will earmark the land first and
acquire it in phases in proportion with the industrial investment
proposals received."

According to him, the SEZ policy and the proposed policy on petroleum,
chemicals and petrochemicals industrial region (PCPIR) will be used for
the growth of Haldia.

While the chemical hub, multi-product SEZ and the proposed
pharmaceutical SEZ spread over around 25,000 acre within the proposed
250 sq km PCPIR would be a home of industrial development, the State
Government has entered into firm agreements with Salim group of
Indonesia to create road and bridge infrastructure to enhance the
connectivity of Haldia. Also planned is a major satellite city project.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/11/17/stories/2006111702601100.htm