The government will take up eight fresh requests for setting up special economic zones, which have emerged as major sources of exports, on September 16.

The inter-ministerial Board of Approval (BoA) on SEZs, headed by Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar, will also consider framing a policy for setting up units for recycling of plastics in SEZs, an official said.

As of now, there is no specific provision in the SEZ Act for such units.

The new SEZ proposals include Infosys Technologies Ltd IT SEZ in Bangalore, Lepakshi Knowledge Hub Pvt Ltd's proposed aerospace SEZ in Andhra Pradesh and the Gopalan E-Park IT SEZ at Mysore, Karnataka.

The board will also take up the requests of 24 developers, including Wipro Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Ansal SEZ Projects Ltd and Wockhardt Infrastructure Development Ltd, who have asked for more time to execute their projects.

The BoA will also take up the request of real estate major Raheja Universal Ltd for de-notification of its IT SEZ in Maharashtra. Base Realty Pvt Ltd has also asked for permission to surrender its IT/ITeS SEZ in Maharashtra.

In addition, five more developers, including Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, have approached the BoA for withdrawal of formal approvals.

The board will also consider the formation of guidelines on establishing contiguity in SEZs.

As of now, the government has given formal approval for setting up 574 SEZs, of which 114 have been operational.

Exports from SEZs were valued at Rs 2.20 lakh crore in 2009-10, up 121.29 per cent from the previous fiscal.

However, concerns have been raised on the proposed sunset provision on tax breaks for SEZs in the Direct Taxes Code (DTC) Bill.

The bill has proposed that only SEZs notified on or before March 31, 2012, will get income tax benefits.

Furthermore, only those SEZ units that commence commercial operations by March, 2014, shall be allowed the profit-linked deductions permitted under the Income Tax Act, 1961.