8 SEZs cleared

17 get in-principle approvals.

Suzlon Infrastructure Ltd's proposal for a high-tech engineering zone at Coimbatore was among the eight special economic zones cleared by the government today. It also gave in-principle nod to 17 other zones.

Indonesian company Salim's proposal to set up one multi-product zone and one chemical zone through the New Kolkata International Development Pvt Ltd in West Bengal, with an estimated investment of Rs 12,500 crore, was also given in-principle approval.

The inter-ministerial Board of Approval considered 88 proposals for zones in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

Seven of the eight cleared zones would be in Tamil Nadu while one was for Madhya Pradesh.

An official release said the total number of zones cleared now stood at 189 while the number of in-principle approvals had increased to 145.

The zones that got in-principle approval include Hindalco Industries' aluminium SEZ in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh and proposals from Videocon Realty and Infrastructure Ltd for two multi-product and one electronic zone in West Bengal.

Adani Export Ltd's proposal for a multi-product zone in Rajasthan and TIDCO's multi-product zone in Tamil Nadu also got in-principle approval.

Those given formal clearance include Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd's proposal for an information technology zone near Gwalior and Lotus Footwear Enterprises Ltd's footwear zone in Tamil Nadu.