India's largest stainless steel producer Jindal Stainless and 15 other developers have approached the government for granting additional time to execute their special economic zone projects.
These 16 developers want extension of the validity period of formal approval to their projects by one year.
Till now, the inter-ministerial Board of Approval (BoA) has given extension to 89 developers.
"The BoA headed by Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar will take up all these cases on December 15," a Commerce Ministry official said.
Jindal Stainless has approached the government for extension of the validity period of formal approval beyond October 24, 2009, for sector-specific SEZ for stainless steel & ancillary/downstream industry at Kalinga Nagar in Orissa.
The BoA would also take up eight fresh proposals, including those of Larsen & Toubro and Delhi State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation, for setting up SEZs.
Indian Oil Corporation has also approached the BoA with request for co-developer in the port-based SEZ at Puthuvypeen, Kerala, developed by Cochin Port Trust.
IOC has submitted a proposal for co-developer in the SEZ for developing storage facilities for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), laying interconnecting pipeline and setting up an inland LPG container (tanker) station.
Emaar Hills Township has asked for extension of the validity period of formal approval beyond October 25 for its SEZ in Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh.
The official said 11 developers, including Reliance Haryana SEZ and Indiabulls Infrastructure Development, are seeking extension for the third time to the in-principal approvals given to them. They have sought more time citing issues related with land acquisition, besides other reasons.
Three developers, including Essar SEZ Hazira, have approached the government to surrender their SEZs in wake of the global economic slowdown.
As of now the government has given formal approvals for 578 SEZs, of which 340 have been notified.
SEZs have provided employment to 4.18 lakh persons. Exports from SEZs during the first two quarters of the current fiscal are estimated at about Rs 89,750 crore.