Govt Returns Andhra Pradesh SEZ Bill to State For Amendment
New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The Home Affairs Ministry has returned the Andhra Pradesh Special Economic Zone Bill, 2005 to the state government to carryout amendments as suggested by Labour and Employment and Rural Development ministry, Parliament was informed today.
"It is learnt from Ministry of Home Affairs that the ministry has returned the Bill to the state government on May 25, 2011 along with the President''s message to carryout amendments in the Bill as suggested by Labour and Employment and Rural Development ministry," Minister of State For Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said in written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
However, he did not specify the problems with the bill.
Though the central government has implemented SEZ Act 2005, states are also advised to make their own acts for faster clearance of projects.
Andhra Pradesh stands among the top states that have got the largest share of SEZ projects in the country, but it is yet to get the President''s assent for the Bill.
The SEZ Bill, prepared on the lines of the Gujarat government''s enactment, was duly passed by the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly in May, 2005.
Out of 74 SEZs notified in the state, 44 belong to the IT sector and the remaining from areas like textiles, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, gems and jewellery and food processing.
In an another reply, Scinida said that tea export from India during March, 2011 had declined.
"This decline is reportedly due to political disturbances in Afghanistan, Egypt and a few other middle east countries, payment problems associated with exports to Iran and non-tariff barriers regarding exports to Iraq," he said.
