The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) investment in India would cross Rs 2,00,000 crore by 2009 and the Centre would further simplify the procedures involved, said GK Pillai, commerce secretary government of , India in Mumbai.
Speaking at a two-day international seminar organised by the Maharashtra Economic Development Corporation on `SEZs in India -- Major Leap Forward', he said that the SEZs would create eight lakh jobs next year as compared to 2.15 lakh currently .
"From the current Rs 77,000 crore, we expect investments in SEZs to cross Rs 2,00,000 crore by 2009," Pillai said.
"We are happy to say that that investments are coming into industries that earlier did not attract investments, such as leather." he added.
In 2007-08, SEZs reported exports worth Rs 66,638 crore, up by 92 per cent over the previous year.
So far the 513 formal approvals have been accorded to SEZs out of which notifications have been issued for 250 SEZs.
Source: HT, Aug-23-2008
