Jaitely for faster implementation of SEZs

Seeking a faster roadmap for Special Economic Zones, Minister of Commerce and Industry Arun Jaitely said on Wednesday that the process of getting the zones ready should not face roadblocks.

Addressing a parliamentary consultative committee meeting in New Delhi, Jaitely underlined the need for speedier implementation of SEZs and said such zones supported by central initiatives could play an important role in exploiting the export potential in the identified growth sectors.

The meeting was also attended by Rajeev Pratap Rudy and Vidyasagar Rao, Ministers of State for Commerce and Industry, Dipak Chatterjee, commerce secretary and members of the panel inlcuding Kapil Sibal, Prakash V Patil, B Venkateshwarlu, Rajkumar Dhoot and Prema Cariappa.

Speaking at the meeting, Sibal said for SEZs to succeed they must be totally de-centralised as was the case in China and cautioned against multiplicity of SEZ Acts by the states.

He also suggested that the commerce and industry minister should call a meeting of the chief ministers on SEZs to explain the benefits that would flow to the states by setting up these zones and get their inputs to have a faster roadmap.