SEZs, a humble beginning: Maran

NEW DELHI, APRIL 1. The Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Murasoli Maran, today said creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) announced in the Exim Policy 2000-2001 was only a humble beginning and the Government's aim was to replicate the free trade zones in China which were contributing about 40 per cent to Beijing's total exports.

``Setting up of SEZs is only a beginning and it is wrong to compare this with the Chinese model as they had started off on a much larger scale,'' Mr. Maran told a post-Exim Policy interaction organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) here.

Mr. Maran added that the SEZs in China would be ``subjected to the liberal economic policies of the liberal democracy.'' Mr. Maran had yesterday announced removal of QRs on 714 items following a ruling by the dispute settlement panel of the WTO.

- PTI

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