Hyderabad: Ten years after they were set up, several Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the private sector in Telangana have not started functioning. The TS government has decided to de-notify or cancel at least 20 of these non-functioning SEZs.
The TS Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) has cancelled allotment of 500 acres of land to two SEZs promoted by it. About 250 acres of this is under litigation.
In the old combined state, the government has taken up 64 SEZs in Telangana. Among them, seven are promoted by TSIIC and three are joint ventures. In the private sector, there are 26 SEZs and remaining are promoted by state government marketing urban development authorities and others.
Most of the SEZs were notified between 2017 and 2018. Out of a total 67 SEZs, only 27 are operational. TSIIC has cancelled allotment of land to Brahmini Infratech at Saroornagar and Indu Techzone at Raviryal village in Rangareddy district totalling about 500 acres.
TSIIC managing director E.V. Narasimha Reddy said against the cancellation of lands about 250 acres in the Indu Techzone is under litigation. Brahmini Infratech SEZ has applied for de-notification and no objection certificate from the state government is awaited. The 275-acre Hardware SEZ promoted by TSIIC at Maheswaram has applied for de-notification and approval from the central government is awaited.
In the case of the 26-acre IT SEZ at Manikonda in Rangareddy district promoted by TSIIC and Emmaar Hills Township as a joint venture, the letter of agreement has expired and the state government has taken it up for de-notification. The 40-acre IT SEZ in Rangareddy district was notified on June 9, 2008 and was allotted to Cognizant Technologies. Construction work has started here after 10 years. The letter of agreement of the 25-acre IT SEZ allotted to TS Markfed in Karimnagar has expired and the state government has decided to cancel the allotment of land to Markfed.
Deccan Infrastructure and Land Holdings was allotted 12 SEZs in IT, Pharmaceuticals, Textiles, Gems & Jewellery and others, amounting to 1,500 acres in Rangareddy, Mahaboobnagar, Medak and Nalgonda districts. With the expiry of its letter of agreement, TSIIC has recommended to the centre that the agreement be cancelled and has asked the state government to provide no objection certificate. However, the developer, Deccan Infra, has written saying that in view of bifurcation of the state and formation of a new government, they being a government agency will talk to the state government. However, TSIIC has gone ahead with cancellation of the agreement.
