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Kolkata , Aug. 11

AS a natural corollary to the newly announced State export policy, essentially geared to supplement the broad Exim policy of the Government of India, the West Bengal Government has now decided to come out with a comprehensive State policy for Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Announcing this at an interactive session organised by Bharat Chamber of Commerce and Engineering Export Promotion Council, Eastern Region, here today, Dr Sabyasachi Sen, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Industry, West Bengal, said in-principle clearance has been received from the Central Government for according SEZ status to "Manikanchan", the newly set up gems & jewellery export park in the State, and once the SEZ Act, as required by the Centre, was put in place, the process of more SEZs in Bengal with private participation would gather steam.

He said inter-departmental consultations have already begun for facilitating the draft SEZ Act, which would be a pre-requisite for attracting greater private sector investment in such SEZs.

Besides Manikanchan, the State has only Falta EPZ, which has now been converted into a SEZ. He urged the private sector to come in with large investments to help the State Government realise its ambitious target of reaching 9 per cent share (from the present 6 per cent) of the proposed $80 billion all India exports by 2007.

Not willing to give any specific timeframe for the SEZ Act to come into play, Dr Sen said only Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have got such SEZ Acts in place, and the Centre was quite aware that the process would take time, as it involved approvals at different stages. A committee, under the Export Commissioner is already working on the draft, which will have to be placed before the State Legislature.

Elaborating on the features of the new Export policy, Mr Moloy De, Director of Industries, with additional charge as Export Commissioner, said more export promotion parks are being planned, especially in sectors like rubber (for which the land acquisition process has started), foundry and leather.

Pointing out that since export was still a Central subject, the State Government could only act in a supplemental manner, Dr Sen said certain specific things for early implementation of the new export policy, like procedural improvements for speedy clearance of export consignments at important Land Customs Stations (with Bangladesh) like Petrapole, would be done straightaway. He expected major improvements to take place at Petrapole following recent meetings with concerned authorities including customs and custom house agents at the border point, with regard to longer working hours.

Some of the irritants at the LCS like unloading from heavier trucks into smaller ones, and the unauthorised maintenance charges being collected have been removed, he clarified.

He, however, admitted that the district administration had a major role to play in facilitating smooth exports through LCS points. On the public utility status, he said units at Falta SEZ already enjoyed this, and that the Government was examining whether such status could be conferred on all EOUs in the State. On whether an export unit per se could be kept outside the purview of bandhs and strikes, he said this will have to be discussed by TUs and political parties.

On the infrastructure front, mainly roads, including maintenance, he called for a public-private partnership, as resources were still a major constraint for the State Government.

Earlier, welcoming the key features of the State export policy, Mr Rakesh Shah, national vice-chairman of EEPC, said it was important that any policy measure announced by the Government is implemented in totality by all concerned, be it the State, Central or anybody else.

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