Delhi wants three additional Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for better industrial activities and rapid growth for employment. Though it is not clear that these SEZs are related which sectors but the city government has forwarded requests to the centre in this regard.
“We have applied for three additional SEZs for Delhi apart from the existing or approved SEZs. The applications are with the Centre and their status is yet to be known as these applications are being processed”, Chetan B. Sanghi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Industries, Delhi told fachcha.com.
There are three SEZs in Delhi. Two out of these three belong to Delhi government while third SEZs has been developed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation at Shashtri Park. It is important to note that two approved SEZs are related to IT and ITES or knowledge based industries while third SEZ is based on jems and jewellery industry. According to Sanghi the approved SEZs will create over one lakh direct and indirect jobs.
Though the industry department is tightlipped on the nature of the additional SEZs but it says that the additional SEZs will create additional 50000 direct jobs in the capital. The new SEZs will be based on high technology and knowledge based industry as the new industrial policy of Delhi does not support labour intensive, says an official of industry Department.
According to new Industrial Policy Delhi will be a hub of clean, high-technology and skilled economic activities by 2021 following the principles of infrastructure development, decongestion, promoting ‘walk to work’, simplifying business, industry consultation in decision making and sustainability.
Delhi will get a ‘knowledge city’ in South Delhi very soon. The knowledge city will be a hub of industrial activities related to knowledge creation and its uses. An announcement has been made in this regard by Delhi’s Industry Minister Haroon Yusuf.
He also said that Delhi would set up two SEZs , one for Gem and Jewellery industry and another for IT , under the public private partnership (PPP) in a span of 30 months with the help of Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC). This will create direct and indirect employment for over two lakh people.
It is notable that a new comprehensive industrial policy has been approved by Delhi Cabinet on Monday. The new policy focuses non-polluting industries like IT, IT enabled services, Hi-tech, sophisticated knowledge based and services and discourages labour-intensive manufacturing sector. As Haroon says that the government is now focusing on Infrastructure development, decongestion, promoting ‘walk to work’, industry consultation and other areas.
The Union government has already been approved both the SEZs in last month. While the SEZ for Gems and Jewellery will be set up in an area of 41.4 acres at an estimated cost of rupees 489 crore the IT SEZ will cost around rupees 395 crore and will have an area of 26 acre. The IT SEZ will have a convention halls, hotels, hospitals and residential accommodation. IT SEZ will provide direct employment to 36000 people and indirect employment to 1.08 lakh people.