Cap removed on number of SEZs
New Delhi: Any number of SEZs can now come up. The empowered Group of Ministers on Special Economic Zones headed by the defence minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has decided to remove the existing cap on the number of SEZs that can be established within the country.

Until now, the government had placed a cap of 150 for the number of SEZs that could be established within the country.

Besides the commerce minister Kamal Nath, the e-GoM includes the finance minister, P Chidambaram, and the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Kamal Nath said approvals for new SEZs would be granted after 75 SEZs had started operating. He also ruled out any re-look at the SEZ policy as demanded by the Left parties. He also maintained that the revenue loss to the government, if any, due to SEZs could be ascertained only when they were functional. The minister added that the onus of land acquisition was with the State government.

As of now the board of approvals had given in-principle nod for 150 SEZs. Beyond this limit the BoA has received several new applications for establishing SEZs in the country.
Back to News Review index page  

India set to join Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline project
New Delhi: India is all set to join the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline project. Government officials said India would participate in the TAP meeting scheduled for September to join as a partner in the project.

A high-level team of the petroleum ministry is expected to participate in the meeting. Some of the issues likely to be discussed include finalising amendments to the inter-governmental and framework agreements of the project. Though TAP is not being considered as an alternative to the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, it would be easier to implement as it is supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In mid-February, the Steering Committee of TAP had given India three months' time for submitting a formal request to join the $3.3-billion project.

TAP is expected to transport 100 mmscmd (million standard cubic metres per day) of gas, of which India's share at best is likely to be 60 mmscmd. The Union Cabinet had in May approved participation of India in the TAP natural gas pipeline project.

With this participation TAP would become TAPI - Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The proposed pipeline would stretch from the Turkmenistan / Afghanistan border in south-eastern Turkmenistan to Multan, Pakistan (1,271 km), with a 640-km extension to India. The proposed pipeline will carry natural gas from the Dauletabad Field in south-eastern Turkmenistan.
Back to News Review index page