Sets Apart 70% Of Land As Open Space

Kochi: With the master plan of the SmartCity project entering the final phase, the project seems to be turning more green. If the first draft proposed 40% open space, Smart-City authorities have asked designers to set apart 70% of the project land for open space in the final plan. According to sources, the SmartCity authorities want the project to be an eco- friendly one. “The project would have received environmental clearance even if 30 to 40% of the project land is open space. But our decision is to provide 70% open space so that the project would be more environmental friendly,” top officials of the project said

Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ) has sought fresh approval from the government for 1,840 hectare multi-product special economic zone, which was denotified in October due to non-conformity with SEZ rules.

"We have sought permission for a new SEZ and have made several representations to the government. We hope to get the approval in the present quarter itself," APSEZ's Chief Financial Officer B Ravi said. Government sources said meanwhile that the Board of Approval (BoA), the apex body for SEZs, has not yet taken up the matter.

Shubhangi Khapre:SEZs were the mainstay of the last industrial policy. Where did the government fail?

BG:The SEZ subject is based on the premise of creating an entirely new entity meant to promote exports, brought to make industry more competitive. It was perceived as “anti-farmer”. Maharashtra had started 144 SEZs. In the meantime, due to opposition, the Centre introduced tax changes and imposed minimum alternate tax and dividend distribution tax on SEZ companies. Though the SEZ concept remained, it became non-viable. The question arose what to do with the land locked in SEZs, whether it can be put to good industrial use. The new industrial policy provides an option.

To Make Project Meet Global Standards

Kochi: The master plan of SmartCity Kochi will be altered to add more facilities to attract more international IT firms and also to suit the lifestyle of techies from developed countries. SmartCity authorities took this decision at a workshop held to finalize the master plan. The workshop concluded in Dubai on Wednesday. Experts from the UK, USA, Dubai and India recommended the changes considering the suggestions made by the SEZ board, which accorded SEZ status to the project.

Residents of five villages in Gurgaon whose land was acquired seven years ago by the Haryana Government for setting up of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by Reliance India Limited (RIL) have been on “dharna” at Garoli Khurd village for over a month demanding that their land be returned as the project has been shelved. Over 2,000 families are learnt to have been affected by the land acquisition.

“The Haryana Government had acquired over 1,300 acre land belonging to five villages- Garoli Khurd, Harsaru, Mohammadpur, Khandra and Narsinghpur- in 2006 for setting up industry and handed it over to Reliance for setting up of SEZ. But now that the SEZ project has been shelved, we want our land back.

Reliance Industries on Friday won government approval to de-notify over 40% of its Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Gujarat as it plans R45,000 crore projects in that area to cater to domestic market.

An official said RIL’s proposal was approved at the meeting of Board of Approvals (BoA) SEZ subject to the company obtaining a NoC from the state government for the denotification.

The Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill is an attempt to circumvent the hurdles before acquisition, such as rehabilitation of land losers, without much increasing the cost of lan

Mumbai: The state government has decided to permit use of no-development zones (NDZs) for industrial, commercial and residential activity in the exit policy for special economic zones (SEZs).

A basic floor space index (FSI) of 0.5 on the gross area will be permitted in NDZ areas. As an exit route, the state’s new industrial policy permits conversion of denotified SEZs more than 100 acres to integrated industrial areas (IIAs).

NCP ministers warn CM against opening prime land for real estate development

NCP vehemently opposed the new Maharashtra industrial policy Wednesday, saying it was an opportunity for big developers to grab land at a throwaway price on the excuse of promoting industry. At a cabinet meeting that okayed the policy, senior NCP ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil and R R Patil questioned its real objective.

All other NCP ministers and even some Congress ministers supported the three who kept arguing for almost four hours.