Soon, the state of Goa will have seven special economic zones which have been approved by the state government as well as the Union government. It will have two IT SEZs, two biotech SEZs, one pharma SEZ, one gems and jewellery SEZ, and one SEZ related to services.
The SEZs will be developed by private parties. The land has been given for six SEZs by Goa Industrial Development Corporation to private parties. The basic purpose of GIDC is to promote industries and facilitate them with necessary infrastructure. This also includes offering land with or without infrastructure facilities.
Although land has been given for six SEZ projects, so far only three have been notified by the Centre. "Around 30 lakh sq. metres of land has been given for six SEZ projects. The land was allocated last year," said A.V. Palekar, Managing Director, GIDC.
For services SEZ permission was given in November 2007, and for pharma and biotech SEZs permission was given in July 2007. "Work on pharma SEZ and services SEZ has started," said Palekar. Pharma SEZ will be set up by Meditab, a subsidiary of Cipla, with an investment of Rs 250 crore. Services SEZ will be developed by K. Raheja Group. The services SEZ will involve an investment of Rs 1,700 crore. The biotech SEZ will be set up by Pennsulia Group with an investment of Rs 625 crore. "Currently, for biotech SEZ construction of access road to the SEZ is taking place," Palekar noted. Two biotech SEZs will have a total investment of Rs 1,500 crore.
For the three SEZ projects, namely pharma, biotech and services, the designing process is over. Two IT SEZs will have an investment of Rs 900 crore. Gems and jewellery SEZ will be set up with an investment of Rs 270 crore. For the rest of the SEZs, notification from the Union government is awaited, which may take a couple of months.
Also on cards is the development of three new general nature industrial estates. One is coming up at Canacona in South Goa and the other two industrial estates are coming up in North Goa viz. Sattari and Pernem. The corporation has identified the places, but land acquisition has yet to be done for three new industrial estates. At the same time, GIDC is expanding its existing industrial estates. So far, the corporation has developed 22 industrial estates at various locations, such as Verna, Bethora, Margao, Madkai and Mapusa.