DLF gets fresh sanction from BoA for its Rajarhat IT SEZ

Real estate major DLF, which had last year pulled out of developing an IT SEZ on a 25.8-acre plot in Rajarhat, West Bengal, has been granted a fresh sanction by the board of approvals (BoA) of the Union commerce department for reviving the venture.

The company had pulled out during the construction stage, citing the global downturn (See: DLF to surrender 4 of its 9 IT/ITeS SEZs).

According to commerce ministry additional secretary D K Mittal, the Board of Approvals (BoA), which is the final authority on SEZ-related issues had allowed renotification of DLF's SEZ in Kolkata.

According to state IT minister Debesh Das, it was a very good development from the state's point of view because it proved conclusively that the IT industry is well on its way to recovery. He added that since a major portion of the construction had already been completed, DLF should be able to give shape to its SEZ plans at Rajarhat quite quickly.

Meanwhile, exports from Kolkata's software technology park were up marginally in 2009-10 over the previous financial year. Local units registered with the STPI scheme saw exports grow to Rs5,430 crore in the just concluded fiscal, up 6 per cent from Rs5,129 crore posted in 2008-09.

In another development Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd has obtained a year's extension for its SEZs in Haryana and Navi Mumbai. The company had asked for additional time from the Union ministry of commerce and industry to start operations at these SEZs, citing global economic slowdown as the reason.