EGOM to discuss SEZ issues next week

Saturday March 31 2007 01:54 IST
CHENNAI: An empowered group of ministers headed by External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to meet next week to discuss and
analyse issues of special economic zones and relaxation norms for such
SEZs, Union Minister of Communications and IT Dayanidhi Maran said here
on Friday.

He was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the launch of a
joint venture between Reliable Freight Forwarders Pvt Ltd and Hong
Kong-based Kerry Logistics Network.

Maran was hopeful that SEZs which had been approved in Tamil Nadu but
were put on hold due to the controversy over land acquisition in various
states would be given the green signal as most SEZs in the state were
being set up on land belonging to the Small Industries Promotion
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT).

He added that companies that had shown interest in setting up their
units in these SEZs were upset at the delay. "We are the ones who will
suffer as we have been successful with SEZs. Also we have no issues with
land here," he said.

Maran said there were about 20 SEZs in the state and most of them could
not make progress on work due to these problems. Maran also hoped that
sizes of SEZs would not only be 1,000 or 500 acres but also as small as
200 or 300 acres. He also invited investors to not only invest in real
estate but the IT industry.

The new JV company known as the Kerry Reliable Logistics Pvt Ltd in
India will offer comprehensive logistics support in Tamil Nadu. The
Kerry group also has plans for new projects to be implemented in the
country.

Managing Director, Reliable Freight Forwarders, J Antony Sekar, said the
company had its network spread in all important locations in the country.
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