Kerala - Kochi

SmartCity: Single SEZ status sought

KOCHI: The State government is planning to leave no stones unturned to secure a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status for SmartCity Kochi project. Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Fisheries Minister S. Sarma, who is also the chairman of SmartCity Kochi, said the government and the SmartCity Kochi would jointly approach the Centre for a single-SEZ status for the entire 246 acres of the project. Apparently at the board meeting of SmartCity officials it was decided that the government should strive for a single-SEZ status rather than separate ones for portions of the project area. This would lead to major technical, operational and administrative problems. Fareed Abdulrahman, Chief Executive Officer, SmartCity, said if the entire project area was not given a single-SEZ status it would not have the desired ‘impact’. But it is not clear if the Centre would grant accept the State’s demand.

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