The government said on Wednesday more than 200 applications for setting up special economic zones are pending with it.
"Formal approval has been granted to 150 SEZs. Over 200 proposals for setting up of SEZs have been received for consideration," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
He said of the 150 SEZs that have been approved, 18 have been notified.
Of the 18 zones notified, five are in Andhra Pradesh, four in Tamil Nadu, three in Karnataka, two in Gujarat, and one each in Chandigarh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
The biggest SEZ that has been notified so far is spread over an area of 2,406 hectares. It is a multi-product SEZ promoted by Gujarat Adani Ports Limited.
In reply to another question he said a joint trade committee meeting between Myanmar and India had mandated both the countries to open up a third border at Pangsu Pass for trade.
"However, the Myanmar side has indicated that creation of infrastructure at Pangsu Pass could take some time," Ramesh said.
On grant of most favoured nation status to India by Pakistan, he said Islamabad has not granted the staus to India and neither has it communicated any preconditions for it.
Ramesh said the joint task force to study the feasibility of China-India Regional Trading Agreement was likely to meet next month to carry forward from the first meeting in March.
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