Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave approval for enacting the Punjab Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act by formulating a comprehensive SEZ policy to promote mega and super mega industrial projects.
A decision to this effect was taken here today at a high-level meeting chaired by Badal here, said an official release.
Badal directed the chief secretary to look into the comments given by the departments of Revenue and Rehabilitation, Local Government, Housing and Urban Development and Power, besides the Punjab Pollution Control Board, before the finalisation of the Act.
Badal underscored the need to promote industrialisation in the state in a big way as the state’s agrarian economy had reached a point of saturation. “Setting up SEZs will give a fillip to industry besides generating employment opportunities for our unemployed youth,” he said.
It was stated in the meeting that the Centre has so far given in-principle approval to 8 SEZs and formal approval to 7.
Two SEZs in Mohali — of Quarkcity India Pvt Ltd in IT and Ranbaxy Laboratories in pharma — developed over 13.75 and 32 hectares, respectively, had been notified by the Centre.
These SEZs with an investment of nearly Rs 10,000 crore will give direct jobs to about 275,000 people.
