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Core Purpose

Notification of the Special Economic Zones (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2023, inserting a new rule 11B into the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006 to permit demarcation of non-processing areas within Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zones.

Detailed Summary

By G.S.R. 881(E) dated 6th December 2023, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Commerce), exercising powers under section 55 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005), notified the Special Economic Zones (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2023, effective from the date of publication in the Official Gazette, inserting new rule 11B after rule 11A of the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006. The new rule permits the Board of Approval, on request of a Developer of an Information Technology (IT) or Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) Special Economic Zone, to permit demarcation of a portion of the built-up area as a non-processing area for IT/ITES businesses, subject to conditions: the area must consist of complete floors, appropriate access control mechanisms must be maintained, and demarcation is permitted only after the Developer repays, without interest, tax benefits attributable to the non-processing area (calculated proportionally per a Chartered Engineer's certificate) and any tax benefits already availed for shared social/commercial infrastructure. Demarcation is prohibited if it would reduce the processing area below fifty per cent of total area or below minimum thresholds specified per city category under Annexure IV-A (Category A: 50,000 sq. m; Category B: 25,000 sq. m; Category C: 15,000 sq. m). Businesses in non-processing areas will not be entitled to any rights or tax facilities available to SEZ units and will be subject to all Central Acts, rules and orders applicable to entities in the domestic tariff area. The notification is signed by Vipul Bansal, Joint Secretary (F. No. K-43014(16)/9/2021-SEZ), and notes the principal rules were published vide G.S.R. 54(E) dated 10th February 2006 and last amended vide G.S.R. 824(E) dated 7th November 2023.

Full Text

EXTRAORDINARY PART II —Section 3 —Sub-section ( i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 698] NEW DELHI , WEDNES DAY , DEC EMBER 6, 2023/ AGRAHAYANA 15, 1945 CG-DL-E-07122023-250457 (3) MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Department of Commerce) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 6th December, 2023 G.S.R. 881(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by section 55 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005), the Central Government hereby m akes the follo0wing rules further to amend the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006, namely: - 1. (1) These rules may be called the Special Economic Zones (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2023. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the O fficial Gazette. 2. After rule 11A of the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006, the following rule shall be inserted, namely: - “11 B. Non -processing areas for Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zones: - (1) Not withstanding anything contained in rules, 5,11,11A or any other rule, the Board of Approval, on request of a Developer of an Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zones, may, permit demarcation of a portion of the built -up area of an Informat ion Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone as a non -processing area of the Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone to be called a non -processing area. (2) A Non -processing area may be used for setting up and operation of businesses engaged in Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled services, and at such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Board of Approval under sub -rule (1), (3) A Non -processin g area shall consist of complete floor and part of a floor shall not be demarcated as a non - processing area. (4) There shall be appropriate access control mechanisms for Special Economic Zone Unit and businesses engaged in Information Technology or Informa tion Technology Enabled Services in non -processing areas of Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zones, to ensure adequate screening of movement of persons as well as goods in and out of their premises. (5) Board of Approval shall permit demarcation of a non -processing area for a business engaged in Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone, only after repayment, without interest, by the Developer, — (i) tax ben efits attributable to the non -processing area, calculated as the benefits provided for the processing area of the Special Economic Zone, in proportion of the built up area of the non -processing area to the total built up area of the processing area of the Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone, as specified by the Central Government. (ii) tax benefits already availed for creation of social or commercial infrastructure and other facilities if proposed to be used by both the Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone Units and business engaged in Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services in non - processing area. (6) The amount to be repaid by Developer under sub -rule (5) shall be based on a certificate issued by a Chartered Engineer. (7) Demarcation of a non -processing area shall not be allowed if it results in decreasing the processing area to less than fifty per cent of the total area or less than the area specified in column (3) of the table below: TABLE Sl. No. (1) Categories of cities as per Annexure IV -A (2) Minimum built -up processing Area (3) 1. Category ‘A’ 50,000 square meters 2. Category ‘B’ 25,000 square meters 3. Category ‘C’ 15,000 square meters (8) The businesses engaged in Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone in a non -processing area shall not avail any rights or facilities available to Special Economic Zo ne Units. (9) No tax benefits shall be available on operation and maintenance of common infrastructure and facilities of such an Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone. (10) The businesses engaged in Information Technology or Information Technology Enabled Services Special Economic Zone in a non -processing area shall be subject to provisions of all Central Acts and rules and orders made thereunder, as are applicable to any other entity operating in dom estic tariff area.” [F. No. K-43014(16)/9/2021 -SEZ] VIPUL BANSAL, Jt. Secy . Note .-The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part -II, Section 3, Sub -section (i), vide notification number G.S.R 54(E), dated the 10th Febru ary, 2006 and lastly amended vide notification number G.S.R. 824(E), dated the 7th November, 2023. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring R oad, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and P ublished by the Controller of Publications, Delhi -110054.

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