In addition to Seven Central Government Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and 12 State/Private Sector SEZs set up prior to the enactment of SEZ Act, 2005, formal approval has been accorded to 576 proposals out of which 392 SEZs presently stand notified. A total of 173 SEZs have commenced export. A list showing State-wise distribution of formally approved, notified and operational SEZs is annexed (Annexure-I). No proposal for setting up of an SEZ is pending for approval by Board of Approval.

Parameters such as export, investment, employment generated in SEZs are monitored on a regular basis. Specific studies commissioned by the Department of Commerce to assess the socio-economic impact of SEZs have shown that SEZs have created a significant local area impact in terms of direct as well as indirect employment, emergence of new activities, changes in consumption pattern and positively impacted socio-economic development contributed to creation of social infrastructure such as education, healthcare etc. The contribution of SEZ exports and country’s exports during the last three years and the current financial year are as under:

Sl. No.	Financial Year	Exports
		Total exports of the Country (Value in Rs. Crore)	Total SEZ Exports (Value in Rs. Crore)	% share of SEZ exports in the total exports of the country
1	2010-11	11,42,922	3,15,868	27.64
2	2011-12	14,65,959	3,64,478	24.86
3	2012-13	16,35,261	4,76,159	29.12
4	2013-14*	4,05,105	1,13,299	27.97

* April, 2013 to June, 2013

Exports from SEZs today constitute a wide spectrum of goods and services ranging from Engineering, Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Petro chemicals, Apparels and Garments, Gems and Jewellery, IT/ITES etc.

Businesses established in SEZs are as susceptible to the external environment similar to businesses in the Domestic Tariff Area of the country. Global economic slowdown has had an adverse impact on SEZs as well. In order to address the challenges being faced by SEZs, certain amendments in SEZ policy and its operational framework have been made with the objective of making SEZs more investors’ friendly.

Annexure-I

STATE-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF APPROVED SEZs                 (As on 31st July, 2013)
State	Formal Approvals	Notified SEZs	Operational (Exporting) SEZs
Andhra Pradesh	109	78	39
Chandigarh	2	2	2
Chhattisgarh	2	1	1
Delhi	3	0	0
Dadra & Nagar Haveli	2	1	0
Goa	7	3	0
Gujarat	43	30	18
Haryana	46	35	5
Jharkhand	1	1	0
Karnataka	61	40	22
Kerala	29	24	8
Madhya Pradesh	19	9	2
Maharashtra	102	65	20
Manipur	1	0	0
Nagaland	2	2	0
Odisha	10	5	1
Puducherry	1	0	0
Punjab	8	2	2
Rajasthan	10	10	5
Tamil Nadu	67	53	33
Uttar Pradesh	31	21	9
Uttarakhand	2	1	0
West Bengal	18	9	6
GRAND TOTAL	576	392	173

 

The information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Dr. D. Purandeswari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Special Economic Zones performance shows substantial export contribution and policy adjustments aimed at improving investor friendliness. Statistics show 576 SEZ proposals approved, 392 SEZs notified and 173 operational as of 31 July 2013, with state-wise distribution provided. Export data present SEZ contribution to national exports and Q1 2013-14 figures. The Department monitors export, investment and employment and cites studies linking SEZs to local employment, new activities and social infrastructure; policy and operational amendments were made to improve investor-friendliness.