Prior to this SEZ, gem and jewellery exporters had to use Falta EPZ, 45km away from Kolkata in an area with law and order problems and severe logistical drawbacks.. Manikanchan at Salt Lake would offer to the Kolkata International Airport.
Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) had been campaigning for the SEZ since 2000. Land for the SEZ was sanctioned by Jyoti Basu, former chief minister of West Bengal.
