Panaji: After scrapping the 12 special economic zones (SEZs) and moving to de-notify three such enclaves, the Goa government on Tuesday informed the state legislative assembly that it will review its SEZ policy.

“Government of Goa has communicated its decision to central government to do away with SEZs in the present form and accordingly the state government would review its SEZ policy,” chief minister Digamber Kamat said.

The purpose of the SEZs are “to overcome the shortcomings experienced on account of the multiplicity of controls and clearances; absence of world-class infrastructure, and an unstable fiscal regime and with a view to attract larger foreign investments in India”, reads the SEZ policy on the ministry of commerce and industry website.

The western coastal state, which adopted its SEZ policy in 2006, saw strong opposition for the industrial enclaves with the NGOs raising banner of protest.

The state government, in a historic decision, had scrapped 12 SEZs which were at different stages while three notified projects are awaiting denotification by union commerce ministry’s board of approval.

The opposition benches on Tuesday tried to corner Kamat on the SEZ issue.

The land allotment to these proposals even before they were approved was questioned by the opposition.

Kamat, defending the state government, said it has communicated its decision to do away with the SEZs in the present form to the ministry of commerce and industry and has requested to de-notify the three notified SEZs.

Three SEZ developers Meditab Specialities, Peninsula Pharma Research Centre and K. Raheja had got their projects notified in Goa.