North-east to be declared special economic zone

GANGTOK: The Centre is planning to declare the entire northeast region a special economic zone, department of northeast region minister C.P.Thakur said in Gangtok on Wednesday. He was speaking at a meeting organized by the CII on the eve of the two-day North East Council meeting to begin on Thursday.
Industrial units in an SEZ would get special benefits, like concessional import tariff, tax holidays, subsidy on power and restrictions on trade unions.An important part of the discussion at the NEC meeting was likely to focus on SEZs.
Thakur also said that the Centre was likely to take a decision by the end of September on the extension of mobile telephone services to the entire north-east region. Mobile facilities were now available only in selected cities in the north-east, like Guwahati. Gangtok, too, had mobile facilities. The restriction was because of security reasons.
On September 21, a meeting would be held by the defence ministry where the final clearence on extension of mobile facilities was likely to be given. The Union home ministry did not have objections on extension of mobile facilities, he said.
Sikkim chief minister Pawan K. Chamling during the day requested the CII to promote the setting up of food processing and floriculture units in Sikkim.