SEZ POLICY REVAMPED TO MEET CHALLENGES FACED BY EXPORTERS

Why in news?

• Commerce and Industry & Railways Minister chaired a meeting 9th January 2020, in New Delhi to review the remaining recommendations of the Baba Kalyani report on Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy of India.

Details

• Commerce and Industry Minister examined the revamp of the SEZ policy with a view to meeting the global challenges being faced by Indian exporters.
• Discussions were also held to find a way out for implementation of the remaining recommendations in order to facilitate the ease of doing business in the present global market scenario.

Background

Baba Kalyani report

• The Baba Kalyani led committee was constituted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to study the existing SEZ policy of India and had submitted its recommendations in November 2018.
• The objectives of the committee
  • To evaluate the SEZ policy and make it WTO compatible
  • Suggest measures for maximizing utilization of vacant land in SEZs
  • Suggest changes in the SEZ policy based on international experience and merge the SEZ policy with other Government schemes like coastal economic zones, Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor, national industrial manufacturing zones and food and textile parks.

SEZ

• A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country.
• SEZs are located within a country’s national borders, and their aims include increased trade balance, employment, increased investment, job creation and effective administration.
• To encourage businesses to set up in the zone, financial policies are introduced.
• These policies typically encompass investing, taxation, trading, quotas, customs and labour regulations.
• Additionally, companies may be offered tax holidays, where upon establishing themselves in a zone, they are granted a period of lower taxation.