What is an SEZ?
It is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country’s typical economic laws. An SEZ is a trade capacity development tool, with the goal to promote rapid economic growth by using tax and business incentives to attract foreign investment and technology.By offering privileged terms, SEZs attract investment and foreign exchange, spur employment and boost the development of improved technologies and infrastructure.
Moreover SEZ’s provide a medium wherein it not only attracts foreign companies looking for cheaper and efficient location to setup their offshore business, but it also allows the local industries to improve their export through a proper channel and with the help of the new foreign partners to the outside world at a very competitive price. SEZ’s offer relaxed tax and tariff policies which is different from the other economic areas in the country. Duty free import of raw materials for production is one example. Moreover the Free trade zones attract big players who want to setup business without any license hassles and the long process involved in it. Most of the allotment is done through a single window system and which is highly transparent system. The bottom-line therefore is increased export and FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) enabling increased Public-private partnership and ultimately resulting in a development of world class infrastructure, boost economic growth, exports and employment.
Where SEZ’s have really flourished?
The concept of SEZ’s was largely pioneered by China, wherein the SEZ’s contribute to 20 percent of the total FDI. Then the SEZ model was also successfully implemented in Poland and Philippines. In the former the SEZ’s contribute to almost 35 percent of the FDI inflows. Shenzhen in China has been at the helm of rapid economic development, after growing by a staggering 28 percent for the last 25 years.
ADMINISTRATIVE SET UP FOR SEZS: SEZs is governed by a three tier...