Whalesbook
SEZs ko Relief: India mein Dukan lagane ki Chhut, Par Shartoo ke Saath
Central government ne Special Economic Zone (SEZ) manufacturing units ke liye ye bada step liya hai. Ab ye units 1 April 2026 se 31 March 2027 tak apne bane hue saaman ko Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) matlab India ke andar hi low customs duties par sell kar sakte hain. Iska main reason hai global trade mein chal rahi problems, jaise ki West Asia ka conflict aur US tariffs ka asar. Yeh move SEZ manufacturers ko thodi rahat dega jo global demand mein slowdown aur trade disruptions se pareshan hain.
SEZs Mein Band Companyaan, Khatm Hoti Naukriyan, Aur Strict Rules
Yaad hai na, SEZs originally export badhane ke liye banaye gaye the? Par abhi sector kaafi problems se guzar raha hai - policy uncertainty, tax benefits ka khatam hona, aur tough global competition. Data bata raha hai ki pichhle 5 saalon mein around 466 SEZ units band ho gayi hain, aur FY25 mein hi 100 units band hui hain. Employment bhi thoda kam hua hai, FY25 mein yeh 31.77 lakh ho gaya tha jo pehle 31.94 lakh tha.
Ab ye jo nayi suvidha mili hai, iske saath kuch strict conditions bhi hain. Eligible units ne March 31, 2025 tak production start kiya hona chahiye aur unhone 20% value addition achieve kiya ho. Sabse important, domestic sales ko pichhle 3 saalon ki sabse zyada annual FOB export value ke sirf 30% tak hi limit kiya gaya hai.
Experts jaise Ajay Srivastava Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) se keh rahe hain ki duty cuts bahut kam hain, usually sirf 1% ke aas paas. Aur Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) par koi relief nahi hai, toh overall fayda bhi kam hoga. Plus, Petrol aur Diesel jaise bade products ko isse bahar rakha gaya hai, jisse refineries ko zyada fayda nahi hoga. Yeh sab dekhte hue, experts ko lagta hai ki iska impact bahut bada nahi hoga.
Kya Yeh Naye Rules SEZs Ke Bade Masle Suljha Payenge?
SEZs mein jo overall performance issues hain, unko dekhte hue is 'one-time' concession ka kitna fayda hoga, yeh sawal hai. Haalanki SEZ exports FY21 mein Rs 7.59 lakh crore se badhkar FY25 mein Rs 14.63 lakh crore ho gaye hain, phir bhi kayi units sector chhod rahi hain. Iske reasons US tariffs, policy mein uncertainty, aur tax benefits ka na milna hain. Dusri taraf Vietnam jaise countries, jo zyada flexible hain aur FDI ko attract karte hain, woh India se better perform kar rahe hain.
Yeh bhi hai ki lagbhag 70% India ke SEZs IT aur services sector mein hain, jo zyada jobs create nahi karte. Ye latest relief, external shocks se bachne ke liye thoda sahara dega, par SEZs ke andar ki gehri structural problems ko solve karne ke liye shayad kaafi na ho. 30% ki domestic sales cap aur kuch sectors ko bahar rakhna, yeh dikhata hai ki yeh ek short-term fix hai, na ki SEZ model ko permanently revive karne ka strategy.
Government ne bhi saaf kiya hai ki yeh ek baar ka hi relief hai, isko permanent policy banane ka koi plan nahi hai. Ab dekhte hain ki ye limited concessions kitni successful hoti hain aur SEZs ko viable rakhne mein kitna madad karti hain.