CAG stating about development in Tamil Nadu
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has highlighted irregularities in the development of Tamil Nadu’s IT special economic zones in tier II cities including Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli and Salem. A majority of the land remains unoccupied for over two-and-a-half years and the agency blame it on lack of planning and proper marketing.
Given the growing importance of SEZs in the country, the previous DMK government in the state, headed by M Karunanidhi, in August 2006 permitted the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) to establish IT-specific zones in Chennai and eight tier-II cities. Accordingly, the company till March 2013 incurred an expenditure of Rs 399.27 crore on these projects. However, out of the total available area of 1,114.71 acre in seven SEZs (except Hosur), ELCOT up till December 2013 allotted 416.81 acre (37 percent), which included direct allotment by the state government of 180 acre at the Sholinganallur SEZ near Chennai.
Similarly, against 1.79-lakh sq ft of IT park building completed (February–August 2011) in three SEZs at Tirunelveli, Illandhaikulam (Madurai) and Trichy the company so far has allotted only 13 percent. The balance portion has remained vacant for more than 2.5 years. The percentage of allotment ranges from 6 to 42 percent (except in Sholinganallur near Chennai).
Source: Financial Chronicle
Comptroller and Auditor General of India, ELCOT, Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, IT special economic zones, M Karunanidhi, Madurai, Tier-II cities, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli
