Mumbai, Nov 22: Karnataka has received in-principle approval from the Centre for setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) across its three coastal districts. “We have got in-principle approval for setting up an SEZ at the three coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada, which lie across our border between Kerala and Goa ,” Karnataka minister for large and medium industries, RV Deshpande, said on Thursday.
The state government has decided to focus on the region in terms of economic and industrial development and attract investments in sectors like tourism, agro-horticultre, IT and biotechnology, food processing and non-polluting industries. Deshpande said the SEZ was available for private sector participation and development.
The state has recently enacted the Karnataka Industries (Facilitation) Act ’02, under which it nominated ‘Udyog Mitra’ as the nodal agency to obtain all approvals on behalf of the entrepreneurs. The Act also provides for a time-bound approval, under which projects not granted approval from authorities within 35 days, would get automatic approval.
Bureau Report