<Goa had an excellent opportunity when Patni and Wipro had chosen to setup their centres here. Every Goan software professional was looking forward to the Wipro centre. However the series of unfortunate political events made them turn their backs towards Goa....There is still a ray of hope with the central governement encouraging Goa to setup the SEZ. It is high time the new governement starts tracking all companies that are planning to expand in India, and making business proposals to them with generous incentives, including free land to companies that start in Goa within the next two years. That is the only way we can make a mark in the booming IT industry.>[Cajetan Rego, June 25]
Here is what Wipro is planning to do via the SEZ route in the North. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1151713.cms Wipro planning new SEZ TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2005 06:22:39 PM] <"We have decided to start Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in either Haryana or Punjab soon and have so far zeroed on Panchkula and Mohali for this. The SEZ will be on either of these places and will house our Offshore Development Center (ODC)," General Manager-Corporate Affairs, Puneet Kumar said. The ODC will spread in an area of approx 70 to 100 acres of land, which would be bigger than Wipro's headquarters at Sarjapur, near Bangalore. The investment would be in the range of Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore> If SEZ is a glorified industrial estate then I dont see what the big deal about it is. I can even understand the objections of land owners who stand to lose their land. My clear impression was that Chidambaram was talking about the whole of Goa being declared an SEZ. That would be something, right?