Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to fast-track economic bloom

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has declared Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust as a Special Planning Authority so that it can fast-track the development of its 277-hectare Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This will help in planning for SEZ and provide immense flexibility to the port management. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation of a Port-based Multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at Sheva, Navi Mumbai on August 16, 2014.

A recent government notification issued by the urban development department said that the decision was taken as per the demand of the JNPT. “The government notifies and appoints the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to be the Special Planning Authority for the area of villages Sawarkhar, Karal, Sonari, Jaskhar in Uran. The chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust has requested the government through a letter dated March 1, 2017, to appoint the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust as a Special Planning Authority for the said area under the provision of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966,” the notification read.

The government has directed the JNPT to prepare and publish the development proposals and development control regulations for the said notified area and to submit the same to the government for sanction.

This industrial infrastructure project is to be established on 277 hectares with a total Public and Private investment of around Rs 4,000 crore. A Self-Sustainable Integrated Development Project is being planned with a potential of generating over 1.5 lakh direct and indirect jobs.

The focus is on the upcoming sectors in India. The SEZ will develop Free Trade Warehousing Zone, Engineering Goods sector, Electronics and Hardware sectors, Non-Conventional Energy sector, Multi Services (Information Technology and Health-care) sectors and Apparel and Textiles sectors.