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SEZs must for development: Karim

Staff Reporter

Existing norms for SEZs are not suitable for the State, says Divakaran

C. Divakaran

Elamaram Karim

KOZHIKODE: Industries Minister Elamaram Karim said here on Sunday that establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) was necessary to attract Information Technology firms to the State.

Presiding over a function to launch the construction activities of a new wharf at Beypore harbour, Mr. Karim said SEZs would facilitate export and hence were conducive to the IT industry. He said the State government could not afford to oppose the Central policy of allocating SEZs, especially as other States had implemented it.

The Minister said the government would not acquire agriculture land for setting up SEZs.

Staff Reporter writes from Kasaragod: Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran said though the government welcomed foreign investment, the existing norms pertaining to the SEZs were not suited to the conditions in the State.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Mr. Divakaran said due care should be taken to ensure that the norms on SEZs were suited to the conditions in the State.

The State did not have thousands of acres to be notified as SEZs, he said adding that the rights of workers should be protected while allocating SEZs.

Detailed discussion should be held on all these aspects, he said.

KVVES opposes SEZs

Meanwhile, the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) said here on Sunday that the State government should desist from setting up SEZs.

KVVES president T. Nasiruddin told reporters after a State executive meeting of the Samithi in Kozhikode that the organisation would resort to an agitation in this regard. He said the SEZs would destroy existing industries. The government should try to sustain the existing industries by giving them more benefits.

Mr. Nasiruddin said the KVVES would also launch an agitation against the Kerala State Electricity Board’s decision to increase the tariff rate for industries.

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