The Hindu Business Line : Digital mapping for Mangalore SEZ may be over in 15 days

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, the President of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mr A. Srinivasa Rao, said that the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) is working on digital mapping of sites required for SEZ project in Mangalore. The digital mapping — till phase II of SEZ project — will be completed within 15 days, he said.

Thanking the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, for clearing ONGC's Rs 21,000-crore investment in petrochemical projects of SEZ, he said that 439 acres of land on south of MRPL site, around 190 acres of land on east of MRPL and 83 acres of land outside the New Mangalore Port will have to be acquired for the petrochemicals project. If New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) joins as co-promoter in SEZ project, another 140 acres of land will be available for the project.

Asked about the expected employment opportunities in the petrochemical project, he said around 1,500 people will get direct employment in it. Apart from this, plenty of people will get indirect job opportunities. The project will also boost the growth of numerous ancillary industries in the region.

He urged the State Government to convene a shareholders' meeting to decide the partners and to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV). A separate company will have to be registered to carry out SEZ-related activities under the SEZ Act.

A nodal officer will have to be appointed for the SPV. "Once appointed, the project can be vested with the nodal officer," he said. KCCI holds `in-principle' approval for the establishment of an SEZ in Mangalore.

Mr Rao said that the KCCI would focus on the general-purpose multi-product SEZ and work with private developers to make available land and other facilities inside the SEZ. Already some of the software and textile companies have expressed interest to set up their units in SEZ. He hoped that many more would follow.

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