Coimbatore SEZ

Coimbatore SEZ will be a SEZ that will be dedicated to the information technology sector and the Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCO) and the Electronics Corporation of Tamilnadu (ELCOT) will set it up jointly.

The location of Coimbatore SEZ is Coimbatore, which is situated in the Indian state of Tamilnadu. It is situated very close to the city airport and also adjoins the Coimbatore Medical College. The ELCOT has acquired land for the Coimbatore SEZ that measures around 11.65 hectares. The total area that will be built up of the SEZ Coimbatore will be around 1.0 million sq. ft and it will accommodate companies of the IT sector of different sizes that will include large, medium, and small companies. The facilities and buildings in Coimbatore SEZ will meet all the IT companies requirements for they will be of international standards. The various facilities available in the Coimbatore SEZ are:

• Facilities for full back up of communication and power
• Banks, food court, and various other services facilities
• Connectivity that will be provided would be of high speed provided by providers multiple service
• Intelligent management building system
• Conference halls that have facilities for video conference
• Uninterrupted supply of water to the various companies within the SEZ
• Transmission station would be set up within the SEZ so that power is continuously available to the companies
• Main roads and internal roads would be constructed in the SEZ so as to connect the various units within the SEZ

The various benefits available in Coimbatore SEZ as being offered to the various companies set up in the SEZ, are that they will be exempted from paying income tax for a period of 15 years, will not have to pay Central Excise duty, and exempted from paying Central Sales tax. Further the various benefits that will be available in the SEZ Coimbatore are foreign direct investments up to 100% are allowed, the profits that will be made will be allowed to be delivered freely without making any dividend balance, and the facility to retain in EEFC Account, foreign exchange up to 100%.

The SEZ in Coimbatore is expected to be completed and start function by the mid 2008. Already many companies seeing the various services and facilities that are going to be provided in the SEZ Coimbatore are booking space for setting up their office. The company Wipro has shown interest in setting up its office in the SEZ in area of around 12 acres.

Coimbatore SEZ thus will provide highly developed facilities to the companies that will be set up within the SEZ. The state government of Tamilnadu must continue with its efforts and encourage the setting up of the SEZ Coimbatore for it will help in the economic development of the state.