Rajasthan act 1 of 2016 : The Rajasthan Special Economic Zones Act, 2015

Department
  • Department of Industries
Enforcement Date

2002-12-04T18:30:00.000Z

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LAW (LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING) DEPARTMENT

(GROUP-II)

NOTIFICATION

Jaipur, January 11, 2016

No. F.2. (40) Vidhi/2/2014.- In pursuance of Clause (3) of

Article 348 of the Constitution of India, the Governor is pleased to

authorise the publication in the Rajasthan Gazette of the following

translation in the English Language of Rajasthan Vishesh Aarthik

Zone Adhiniyam, 2015 (2016 Ka Adhiniyam Sankhyank 1):-

(Authorised English Translation)

THE RAJASTHAN SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES ACT, 2015 (Act No. 1 of 2016)

(Received the assent of the President on the 31 st day of December, 2015)

An

Act

to provide for the establishment, maintenance, management and administration

of Special Economic Zones in the State to promote and assist the rapid and

orderly establishment, growth and development of enterprises and to attract

investment in such Special Economic Zones; and to provide for the matters

connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Be it enacted by the Rajasthan State Legislature in the Sixty-sixth Year of

the Republic of India, as follows:-

1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called

the Rajasthan Special Economic Zones Act, 2015.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Rajasthan.

(3) It shall come into force on and from such date as the State

Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. Definitions.- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "access infrastructure" means the infrastructure in the form of

connecting road, power supply line and water supply pipe line upto

the SEZ.

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(b) "Approval Committee" means the Approval Committee constituted

under section 13 of the Central SEZ Act;

(c) "Board of Approval" means the Board of Approval constituted under

sub-section (1) of section 8 of the Central SEZ Act;

(d) "Central Government" means the Government of India;

(e) "Central SEZ Act" means the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005

(Central Act No. 28 of 2005);

(f) "Central SEZ Rules" means the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006

made by the Central Government under the provisions of the Central

SEZ Act;

(g) "Co-Developer" means a person who, or a State Government which,

has been granted by the Central Government a letter of approval as

Co-Developer under the provisions of the Central SEZ Act;

(h) "Developer" means a person who, or a State Government which, has

been granted by the Central Government a letter of approval under

the provisions of the Central SEZ Act and includes a Co-Developer;

(i) "Development Commissioner'' means the Development Commissioner

appointed by the Central Government for one or more SEZs under

the provisions of the Central SEZ Act;

(j) "Domestic Tariff Area", for the purposes of this Act, means the whole

of India but does not include the areas of the Special Economic

Zone;

(k) "Infrastructure Facilities" means industrial, commercial or social

infrastructure or other facilities necessary for the development of a

SEZ or the infrastructure facilities which may be prescribed by the

Central Government under the Central SEZ Act or such other

facilities as may be prescribed;

(l) "Prescribed" means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;

(m) "Processing area" means the area within the Zone approved by the

Central Government or any authority specified by it under the

provisions of Central SEZ Act;

(n) "Person" includes an individual, whether resident in India or outside

India, a Hindu undivided family, a co-operative society, a company,

whether incorporated in India or outside India, a firm, proprietary

concern, or an association of persons or body of individuals, whether

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incorporated or not, local authority and any agency, office or branch

owned or controlled by such individual, Hindu undivided family, co-

operative, association, body, authority or company;

(o) "Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation

Limited" means the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and

Investment Corporation Limited, a company registered under the

Companies Act, 1956 (Central Act No. 1 of 1956);

(p) "rules" means the rules made under this Act;

(q) "schedule" means the Schedule of this Act;

(r) "SEZ Development Committee" means the Special Economic Zone

Development Committee constituted under section 5;

(s) "Special Economic Zone" or "SEZ" or "Zone" means each Special

Economic Zone (including Free Trade and Warehousing Zone)

notified under the provisions of the Central SEZ Act and includes an

existing Special Economic Zone;

(t) "State Approval Committee" means the State Approval Committee

constituted under section 4;

(u) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Rajasthan;

(v) "transferee" means a person to whom any land or building in the

Zone is transferred in any manner whatsoever, under this Act and

includes his successors and assignees;

(w) "Unit" means a Unit set up by an entrepreneur in a Special Economic

Zone and includes an existing Unit, an Offshore Banking Unit and a

Unit in an International Financial Services Centre, whether

established before or established after the commencement of this

Act; and

(x) all other words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but

defined in the Central SEZ Act and Central SEZ Rules shall have the

meanings respectively assigned to them in the said Act and rules.

3. Establishment of Special Economic Zone.- (1) Any person, who

intends to set up a Special Economic Zone, may, after identifying the area,

make a proposal to the Department of Industries, Government of Rajasthan in

such form and containing such particulars and accompanied by such documents

and fees as may be prescribed.

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(2) The State Government shall refer the proposal received under sub-

section (1) to the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment

Corporation Limited for the scrutiny of the proposal.

(3) The Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment

Corporation Limited shall, after scrutinizing the proposal in the prescribed

manner, submit the proposal along with its report to the State Approval

Committee.

(4) The State Approval Committee shall, after considering the proposal

and the report of the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment

Corporation Limited, recommend to the State Government either to reject the

proposal for the reasons to be recorded in writing or to recommend the same

with such modifications as it may suggest or without modifications, to the

Board of Approval.

(5) The State Government shall, on the basis of the recommendations of

the State Approval Committee, either reject the proposal or forward the same to

the Board of Approval.

4. Constitution of State Approval Committee.- (1) The State

Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute for the

purposes of this Act, a Committee, to be called the State Approval Committee.

(2) The State Approval Committee shall consist of the following

members, namely:-

(a) Chief Secretary to the State Government Chairperson;

(b) Secretary to the Government -in- charge

of Finance Department

Member;

(c) Secretary to the Government - in -charge

of Industries Department

Member;

(d) Secretary to the Government - in -charge

of Urban Development Department

Member;

(e) Secretary to the Government -in -charge

of Revenue Department

Member;

(f) Secretary to the Government - in- charge

of Public Health and Engineering

Department

Member;

(g) Secretary to the Government - in- charge

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of Public Works Department Member;

(h) Secretary to the Government - in- charge

of Power Department

Member;

(i) Secretary to the Government -in -charge

of Forest Department

Member;

(j) Commissioner, Investment and Non

Resident Indians

Member;

(k) Secretary to the Government -in -charge

of Labour Department

Member;

(l) Secretary to the Government -in -charge

of Water Resources Department

Member;

(m) Secretary to the Government -in -charge

of Environment Department

Member;

(n) Chief Town Planner, Rajasthan Member;

(o) Such other persons or officers not

exceeding five as may be nominated

from time to time by the Chairperson

having regard to the matter before the

State Approval Committee

Members; and

(p) Managing Director, Rajasthan State

Industrial Development and Investment

Corporation Limited

Member-

Secretary.

Explanation.- For the purpose of this sub-section, expression "Secretary

to the Government incharge" means the Secretary to the Government -in-

charge of the Department and includes an Additional Chief Secretary and

Principal Secretary when he is in charge of a department.

(3) In addition to the powers and functions specified in this Act, the

committee shall exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions

as may be prescribed.

5. Constitution of SEZ Development Committee.- (1) The State

Government shall, as soon as may be, constitute a Special Economic Zone

Development Committee for planned development, implementation and

operation of SEZs in the State.

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(2) The composition of the SEZ Development Committee and the

procedure to be followed by the SEZ Development Committee while

transacting its business shall be such as may be prescribed.

(3) The SEZ Development Committee shall exercise such powers and

discharge such functions as may be prescribed.

6. Powers and functions of the Development Commissioner - (1) The

Development Commissioner shall supervise, oversee and coordinate the

activities of agencies engaged in the development of the zone and may, in

addition to his powers under Central SEZ Act, exercise such other powers and

functions as may from time to time be vested in him by the State Government

under this Act or any other law for the time being in force.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any Rajasthan Law, the

master plan of the Special Economic Zone and maps of any buildings or

erections in the Special Economic Zone or any modifications and alterations in

such maps shall be approved and sanctioned by the Development

Commissioner.

7. Exemption from Land Ceiling.-The provisions of the Rajasthan

Imposition of Ceiling on Agriculture Holdings Act, 1973 (Act No. 11 of 1973)

shall not apply in respect of any land acquired by the Developer for the purpose

of setting up a Special Economic Zone after in-principle approval has been

granted to him under rule 6 of the Central SEZ rules.

8. Arrangement of land.- (1) The State Government may transfer land

owned or controlled by it to the Developer or acquire land, if so required, in

accordance with the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and

Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013

(Central Act No. 30 of 2013) and the rules made thereunder.

(2) The Developer may himself acquire land from any person by

purchase, lease or allotment.

9. Conversion of land for SEZ purpose.- On and from the date of grant

of formal approval under rule 6 of Central SEZ Rules, the land within the area

of SEZ proposed by the Developer shall be deemed to have been converted for

the SEZ purpose.

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10. Infrastructure support.- (1) The State Government may provide

access infrastructure upto SEZ, either on its own or under a concession granted

by the State Government.

(2) The State Government may provide such other infrastructure upto

SEZ in the State as it may consider appropriate having regard to the specific

requirements of a particular SEZ.

11. Infrastructure facilities in SEZ.- (1) The Developer may plan,

develop, construct, install, operate, manage and maintain all or any of the

following infrastructure facilities in the Zone, with the approval of the Board of

Approval, namely:-

(a) Power generation and Electricity distribution network;

(b) Water treatment, transmission and distribution;

(c) Waste water treatment and solid waste management;

(d) Sewage treatment plant;

(e) Common effluent treatment plant;

(f) Sewage lines;

(g) Roads and subways;

(h) Drainage systems;

(i) Gas distribution network;

(j) Communication and data network transmission;

(k) Civic services including fire fighting;

(l) Water harvesting structures and water conserving

technology;

(m) Use of alternative energy like solar heating and geothermal

cooling;

(n) Disaster management outfit according to a plan; and

(o) Any other infrastructure facilities and services as may be

prescribed.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Developer

shall be bound to plan, develop, construct, install, operate, manage and maintain

any of the infrastructure facilities specified in, or prescribed under, that sub-

section, whenever so required by the State Government and approval is granted

for the same by the Board of Approval.

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12. Exemption from State taxes, duties, cess and other levies.- The

State Government may, upon recommendation of the State Approval

Committee, by a general or special order, exempt any Developer, Co-Developer

or a Unit located in a Special Economic Zone from such taxes, duties, cess and

other levies to such extent as may be specified in such order in respect of all

transactions within the Special Economic Zone and in respect of supply of

goods and provision of services from the domestic tariff area to the Special

Economic Zone.

13. Delegation of powers of Labour Commissioner to Development

Commissioner.- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Act, specified

in the Schedule-I, the power, duties and functions conferred on the

Commissioner of Labour, Rajasthan under those Acts, in respect of the area of

Special Economic Zone, shall be exercised by the Development Commissioner:

Provided that Development Commissioner shall be assisted by the

concerned staff of the Labour Department, Rajasthan while exercising these

powers, duties and functions.

(2) The State Government may, as and when considered necessary, by

notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Schedule-I and thereupon the

Schedule-I shall be deemed to have been amended accordingly:

Provided that when the Schedule-I is to be amended by adding an Act

made by Parliament, such amendment shall be made with the prior approval of

the Government of India.

14. Consolidated return under various laws.- (1) Notwithstanding

anything contained in the Acts specified in the Schedule-II, the returns required

to be prescribed by the State Government under those Acts and rules made

thereunder, shall be furnished to the Development Commissioner annually in

such consolidated form as may be prescribed.

(2) The State Government may, as and when considered necessary, by

notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Schedule-II and thereupon the

Schedule-II shall be deemed to have been amended accordingly:

Provided that when the Schedule-II is to be amended by adding an Act

made by Parliament, such amendment shall be made with the prior approval of

the Government of India.

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15. Declaration of the Zone to be industrial township.- (1) The

Governor may specify the zone to be an industrial township in accordance with

the provisions of Article 243 Q of the Constitution of India.

(2) The Special Economic Zone shall cease to be under the jurisdiction

of, a municipality constituted under the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009

(Act No. 18 of 2009) or, as the case may be, a Panchayati Raj Institution

constituted under the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (Act No. 13 of 1994)

with effect from the date of the issuance of a notification under sub-section (1).

16. Representation in the Board of Approval and the Approval

Committee- (1) The Secretary in charge of the Industries Department,

Government of Rajasthan shall be the ex-officio nominee of the State in the

Board of Approval.

(2) The Member-Secretary of the SEZ Development Committee shall be

the ex- officio nominee of the State in the Approval Committee.

17. Act to override other laws.- The provisions of this Act shall have

effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other

Rajasthan Law for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by

virtue of any Rajasthan Law other than this Act.

18. Protection of action taken in good faith.- No suit or legal

proceedings shall lie against the Chairperson or other members of the State

Approval Committee or SEZ Development Committee or any employee of the

Government or Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment

Corporation Limited acting under the direction of such committee in respect of

anything which, in good faith, is done or intended to be done under this Act or

any rules made thereunder.

19. Members and employees to be public servants- Every member of

the State Approval Committee, SEZ Development Committee, and the

Development Commissioner shall, when acting or purporting to act in

pursuance of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, be deemed

to be the public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal

Code, 1860 (Central Act No. 45 of 1860).

20. Power to make rules.- (1) The State Government may, by

notification in the Official Gazette, make rules generally for carrying out the

purposes of this Act.

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(2) All rules made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be,

after they are so made, before the House of the State Legislature, while it is in

session, for a period of not less than fourteen days which may be comprised in

one session or in two successive sessions and, if before the expiry of the session

in which they are so laid or of the session immediately following, the House of

the State Legislature makes any modification in any of such rules or resolves

that any such rules should not be made, such rules shall thereafter have effect

only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however,

that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the

validity of anything previously done thereunder.

21. Power to remove difficulty.- (1) If any difficulty arises in giving

effect to the provisions of this Act, the State Government may, by an order

published in the Official Gazette, do anything not inconsistent with the

provisions of this Act, which appears to it to be necessary or expedient for

removing the difficulty:

Provided that no order under this section shall be made after the expiry

of a period of two years from the commencement of this Act.

(2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be,

after it is so made, before the House of the State Legislature.

22. Repeal.-The Rajasthan Special Economic Zone Development Act,

2003 (Act No. 21 of 2003) is hereby repealed and the provisions of Rajasthan

General Clauses Act, 1955 (Act No. 8 of 1955) shall apply to such repeal.

23. Saving.- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to derogate the

provisions of the Central SEZ Act and the Central SEZ Rules and in case of any

inconsistency between the provisions of this Act and the Central SEZ Act or the

Central SEZ Rules, the provisions of the Central SEZ Act or, as the case may

be, the Central SEZ Rules shall prevail to the extent of inconsistency.

24. Amendment of Central Act No. 14 of 1947.- In the Industrial

Disputes Act, 1947 (Central Act No. 14 of 1947), in its application to the State

of Rajasthan, after the existing sub-clause (v) and before sub-clause (vi) of

clause (n) of section 2, the following new sub-clause shall be inserted, namely:-

"(va) Any industry in the Special Economic Zone; and".

SCHEDULE-I

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(See section 13)

1. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (Central Act No. 14 of 1947)

2. Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (Central Act No. 11 of 1948)

3. Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 (Central Act No. 21 of 1965)

4. Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (Central Act No. 39 of 1972)

5. Payment of Wages Act, 1936 (Central Act No. 4 of 1936)

6. Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 (Central Act No. 8 of 1923)

7. Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation and Employment and Conditions

of Service) Act, 1979 (Central Act No. 30 of 1979)

8. Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 (Central Act No.61 of

1986)

9. Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966 (Central

Act No. 32 of 1966)

10. Building and Other Construction Workers' (Regulation of Employment

and Conditions of Service ) Act, 1996 (Central Act No. 27 of 1996)

SCHEDULE-II

(See section 14)

6. Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966(Central Act No. 32 of 1966)

2. Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 (Central Act No. 38

of 1970)

3. Payment of Wages Act, 1936(Central Act No. 4 of 1970)

4. Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961(Central Act No. 27 of 1961)

5. Trade Unions Act, 1926(Central Act No.16 of 1926)

6. Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation and Employment and Conditions

of Service) Act, 1979(Central Act No. 3 of 1979)

(nhid ekgs’ojh)

Principal Secretary to the Government