The inter-ministerial Board of Approval (BoA), chaired by Commerce Secreatary G K Pillai gave 11 formal approvals and one in-principle at its meeting here.

The Reliance Haryana SEZ Ltd has been given in-principle approval to set up tax free enclave at Jhajjar near Gurgaon. The size of the SEZ was cut to 5,000 hectares, after the rules were changed in April last year by a Group of Ministers. The government has so far given formal approval to 428 SEZs, out of which 194 have been notified. An investment of Rs 52,193 crore has been made in the notified SEZs and 94,832 people have been employed in the new generation zones, the commerce ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the commerce ministry has sought law ministry’s opinion on Goa government’s proposal to scrap Special Economic Zones, especially those that have already been notified.

“We have sent it (the Goa SEZ issue) to the law ministry,” Commerce Secretary & Board of Approval chairman G K Pillai told reporters here. Mr Pillai had earlier said that state governments could not seek cancellation of already notified projects.