Pending compliances, expiry of validity of LoAs, approvals or permissions in the current lockdown in view of COVID-19.

To

All Development Commissioners
Special Economic Zones.

Subject: Pending compliances, expiry of the validity of LoAs, approvals, or permissions in the current lockdown in view of COVID-19-reg.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to the subject cited above and to say that in view of the prevailing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and partial lockdown imposed by the State Governments, most government offices are either closed or are functioning with skeletal staff. In order to facilitate the SEZ industry, it is proposed to provide suitable relaxations on compliances to be met by units/ developers/ co-developers of SEZs as extended to them Vide this department’s instruction dated 30th March 2020.

2. Such compliances to which the relaxations will apply, include:

• The requirement to file Quarterly Process Report (QPR) attested by Independent Chartered Engineers by Developers/ co-developers.
• SOFTEX form to be filed by IT/ITES units.
• Filing Annual Performance Report (APR) by SEZ units.
• Extension of Letter of Approvals (LoA) which may expire, in the case of:

– Developers/ co-developers who are in the process of developing and operationalizing the SEZ.

-units which are likely to complete their 5year block for NFE assessment.

-units which are yet to commence operations.

3. Development Commissioners are hereby directed to ensure that no hardship is caused to Developers/ Co-developer/ Units and no punitive action is taken in cases where any compliance is not met during this period impacted by the above disruption. Further, as may be possible, all extensions of LoAs and other compliances may be facilitated through electronic mode in a time-bound manner. In the cases where it is not possible to grant extension through electronic mode or in cases where a physical meeting is required. Development Commissioners shall ensure that the Developers/ Co-developer/ Units do not face any hardship due to such expiry of validity during this period of disruption, and ad-hoc interim extension/ deferment of the expiry date may be granted without prejudice till 30.06.2021 or further instructions of the Department on the matter, whichever is earlier.

4. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority for information and necessary compliance.