The uncertainty regarding the continuity of fiscal incentives is an area of growing concern among various stakeholders of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Although, more than 40.0 million sq ft of new supply is scheduled for completion by 2020, which is currently mandatory to qualify for the companies to get income tax benefits in SEZs, it seems unlikely for all the projects to complete construction by then.
This will be Embassy’s first project in the State and it will be known as Embassy Taurus World Technology Centre, Trivandrum. Embassy will have an equity commitment of 49% while Taurus Investment Holdings will hold the remaining 51%.
Track2Realty: Pune’s Grade A commercial office real estate market has been increasingly attracting the attention of major office space occupiers as a second option to Mumbai, because of its freshly available quality space options, comparatively affordable rental rates, as well as its proximity and excellent connectivity with India’s financial capital.
Track2Realty: The alarm on a tough upcoming budget was sounded when the newly elected Prime Minister said that “time has come to take tough decisions in the interest of the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking all due measures towards his vision of a ‘Shresht Bharat’, amidst some calibrated tough measures.
Track2Realty-Agencies: Following relaxation in SEZ norms, debt-laden property developer HDIL has decided to scrap plan to sell the 70-acre land parcel at Kochi Special Economic Zone and is now looking to construct IT infrastructure there.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Social activist Medha Patkar has rather questioned the need of SEZs and acquisition of such huge tracts of land. Referring SEZs as “pervert corporate projects” Patkar points out that the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) had about 80,000 acres of unutilised land – information unearthed through the Right to Information Act.
Track2Realty-Agencies: Shriram Properties the Bangalore-based realty arm of the Shriram Group, is understood to have up lined up discussions with key global players including Mapletree and Ascendas to sell its Gateway SEZ, a 1.3 million square feet information technology special economic zone in Chennai for $150 million.
Track2Realty Exclusive: A recent commerce ministry discussion paper highlighted that there is a perception that many developers do not set up the proposed SEZ and continue to hold on to large parcels of land with the intention of benefiting from its alternative usage and land price escalation.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The fact that SEZ story in India was left on the private hands, the key policy plank of SEZ policy, to promote manufacturing and hence create jobs (both skilled and semi-skilled) for the rural masses took the back seat. IT/ITeS with limited scope of job creation, compared to manufacturing, started dominating the SEZs.
Track2Realty Exclusive: In China, SEZs were developed along its southern coast in the areas of Shenzhen, Shantou, Zhuhai, Hainan and Xiamen which were backward small villages lacking in basic infrastructure and industrial resources. These zones were developed as manufacturing hubs and the open access to international trade sea lanes led to their success.