Exports from the country’s special economic zones (SEZs) have shown an increasing trend in 2016-17 as compared to 2015-16. SEZs in Gujarat have also posted substantially positive growth in exports, of around 4.1 per cent.
The country’s oldest SEZ, Kandla SEZ, registered exports valued at Rs 4,397 crore in 2016-17, up 4 per cent over the previous year. The figures for some other SEZs are as follows: Zydus SEZ (Export: Rs 2,048.40 crore, growth 36 per cent); Surat SEZ (Export: Rs 20,479 crore, growth 32.6 per cent); Dahej SEZ (Export: Rs 3,298 crore, growth 20 per cent); GIDC Apparel Park (Export: Rs 37.85 crore, growth 41 per cent); Sterling SEZ (Export: Rs 816 crore, growth 123 per cent); TCS SEZ (Export: Rs 977 crore, growth 17 per cent); and few more SEZs have increased their exports significantly in 2016-17. Also, exports from GIFT SEZ, India’s first IFSC, have risen from Rs 7 crore in 2015-16 to more than Rs 276 crore in 2016-17 at a brisk pace, highlighted a release.
Kandla SEZ has excelled in the speedy disposal of requests of new entrepreneurs as well as existing units. For this, 17 UAC meetings were held during the year, the highest ever, and 23 new licences were issued in Kandla SEZ. KASEZ is the biggest employer in Kutch District, around 25,000, with 36 per cent being women. It has also brought in investment of over Rs 935 crore so far, including 100 per cent foreign investment by some units.
GIFT SEZ, the first and only IFSC centre in India, is occupied by 27 banking, stock exchanges and insurance companies. It has already crossed a business of $1 billion this year and is growing by leaps and bounds. The Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, had inaugurated India’s first International Exchange, INDIA INX, on January 9, 2017. A global business hub, it will bring billions of dollars in investment and create a benchmark for efficient international finance business, the release said.
Besides, ONGC Petro Additions Ltd, at Dahej SEZ, was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on March 7, 2017. With an investment of Rs 30,000 crore, it is acclaimed to be South Asia’s largest dual feed cracker plant with capacity of 1,100 KTPA of ethylene and capable of producing a wide spectrum of petrochemicals through integrated downstream units.[/vc_column_text]
