Shillong, Feb. 18: The seven sister states today agreed to push for a policy change to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) for the Northeast.
A two-day seminar on SEZ, organised jointly by the North Eastern Council (NEC), the Northeast Federation on International Trade (Nefit) and the department of industries, government of Meghalaya, ended here today with strong recommendations to incorporate changes into the current policy for setting up SEZ in the region.
A seven-member committee was also formed to carry forward the four-point recommendations, which are expected to figure in the NEC meeting scheduled for February 20 here.
The recommendations, while stressing the need for bringing about a major shift in policy for the creation of SEZ in the region, also called for an immediate feasibility study to set up ?product-specific special economic zones?.
The creation of SEZ in the Northeast has been a long-felt demand of several quarters and has been described as the only way to catapult the region into the world market, especially while exporting minerals, organic food, textiles and herbal medicines. Most of the export trade in the Northeast is still ?unorganised,? which is perhaps why the ?huge export potential? is unknown to the outside world. As an evolving concept, SEZ was launched in April 2000 to promote international export and trade to give a fillip to economic growth.
The nine special economic zones functioning in the country are Kandla and Surat in Gujarat, Cochin, Mumbai, Falta in West Bengal, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Noida and Indore. The government has declared 20 new economic zones in the country, which are in various stages of completion.
Participants at the seminar were confident that SEZ would attract foreign capital, technology, information, management skills, increase foreign trade and economic growth by training millions of workers and managers besides serving as ?a window of opportunity? to the world market.
A Nefit official said, ?SEZ in the Northeast will make the region economically viable by developing infrastructure to harness both natural and human resources. Since employment opportunities in the government sector are saturated, SEZ will ensure speedy economic growth by providing job opportunities to the youths. As for funding infrastructure facilities and acting as a facilitator, the NEC will interact with banks, customs and excise agencies.?
Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang, who inaugurated the seminar yesterday, underscored the need to ?broaden the horizon? and welcome changes with open hands.