Overview
- At an EPCES-led interface in Chennai, over 150 SEZ stakeholders met Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal to flag policy and operational hurdles.
- Participants sought parity for SEZ units on concessional import duty and duty drawback benefits that DTA units receive.
- Concerns included the new procurement certificate process, ICEGATE disruptions, BSNL connectivity, and import monitoring system glitches.
- Stakeholders urged a review of QCO applicability for SEZ-to-DTA sales, cited cases such as KASEZ, and noted US countervailing duties affecting exporters.
- IT/ITES representatives raised issues over vacant built-up area rules, LoA renewal timelines, and procurement attestations that differ from GST norms, as the ministry pledged a detailed ease-of-doing-business review without announcing immediate changes.