Context:
The Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of an Ordinance to amend the definition of “person”, as defined in sub-section (v) of section 2 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005:
- To include a trust.
- To enable the setting up of a unit in a Special Economic Zone by a trust.
- To provide flexibility to the Central Government to include in this definition of a person, any entity that the Central Government may notify from time to time.
About SEZs:
- Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are geographically delineated ‘enclaves’ in which regulations and practices related to business and trade differ from the rest of the country and therefore all the units therein enjoy special privileges.
- The basic idea of SEZs emerges from the fact that, while it might be very difficult to dramatically improve infrastructure and business environment of the overall economy ‘overnight’, SEZs can be built in a much shorter time, and they can work as efficient enclaves to solve these problems.
- The SEZ Act, 2005, provides the legal framework for establishment of SEZs and also for units operating in such zones.
Source: PIB