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{{Short description|Special economic zone in Chennai, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Madras Export Processing Zone
|logo =
|type = Special Economic Zone
|foundation = 1984
|owner = [[Government of India]]
|location_city = [[Chennai]]
|location_country = <br /> [[India]]
|location = 
|locations = 
|area_served =
|products = Multi-product (Garments, software, engineering)
|caption =
|homepage = [http://www.mepz.gov.in/home.asp www.mepz.gov.in]
}}

'''Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ)''' is a [[special economic zone]] in [[Chennai]], [[India]]. It is one of the seven export processing zones in the country set up by the central government.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Narasimhan
| first = T. E.
| title = Six new SEZs to come up in TN
| newspaper = Business Standard
| location = Chennai
| date = 23 June 2010
| url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/six-new-sezs-to-come-up-in-tn-110062300014_1.html
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref> It was established in 1984 to promote [[foreign direct investment]], enhance [[International trade|foreign exchange]] earnings, and create greater employment opportunities in the region.<ref name="BS_MEPZNotToAllowMoreITFirms"/>

==Location==
The MEPZ is located on [[GST road|GST Road]] in [[Tambaram Sanatorium|Tambaram]], [[Chennai]]. It is located 6 km south of [[Chennai International Airport]].

==History==
The MEPZ was started in 1984 as an initiative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with an investment of {{INR}} 6716.7 million.<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth">{{cite news
| last = Menon
| first = Ravi
| title = MEPZ posts 25% growth in exports
| newspaper = Business Standard
| location = Chennai
| date = 8 October 2007
| url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/mepz-posts-25-growth-in-exports-107100801048_1.html
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref> On 1 January 2003, the zone was converted into a special economic zone (SEZ)<ref name="BS_MEPZNotToAllowMoreITFirms"/> with an added objective of facilitating exports through reduction of transaction costs.<ref name="MEPZ_AboutUs"/> To facilitate this, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries introduced special features such as offshore banking units and container freight stations to be set up within the zone, in addition to liberalised customs procedures.<ref name="MEPZ_AboutUs">{{Cite web
| title = About us
| publisher = MEPZ.gov.in
| url = http://www.mepz.gov.in/aboutus.asp
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref>

In March 2013, an additional exit and entry point for heavy vehicles arriving at and leaving the MEPZ–SEZ was opened.<ref name="Hindu_NewGateAtMEPZ"/>

==Administration==
The zone is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries and caters to the needs of units within the SEZ, in addition to monitoring the functions of 100-percent export-oriented units (EOUs) located in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]], and [[Andaman & Nicobar Islands]].<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/> The zone is headed by a development commissioner.

==Special economic zone==
Spread over an area of 265 acres (109 hectares),<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/> MEPZ SEZ is a multi-product zone housing 117 functional units.<ref name="MEPZ_AboutUs"/> In addition, another 27 units are under various stages of implementation.<ref name="MEPZ_AboutUs"/> The zone employs over 26,000 people.<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/> In the manufacturing front, there are 110 SME units in the zone. MEPZ's manufacturing sector employs nearly 20,000 people.<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/> IT companies housed in the zone include [[Cognizant Technology Solutions]], Computer Sciences Corporation, CSS and HTC Global Services among others.<ref name="BS_MEPZNotToAllowMoreITFirms">{{cite news
| title = MEPZ not to allow more IT firms
| newspaper = Business Standard
| location = Chennai
| date = 29 May 2010
| url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/mepz-not-to-allow-more-it-firms-110052900023_1.html
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref> About 50 container trucks arrive at and leave the zone every day.<ref name="Hindu_NewGateAtMEPZ">{{cite news
| title = New gate at Tambaram SEZ to end traffic hassles on GST Road
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| date = 24 March 2013
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/new-gate-at-tambaram-sez-to-end-traffic-hassles-on-gst-road/article4542360.ece
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref>

===Infrastructure===
The zone has an exclusive 230 KV sub-station, capable of supplying 30 MW. It also has an exclusive telephone exchange with [[fibre optic]] connectivity, a post office, video conferencing facility in the administrative building, and a [[telecommunication tower]]. The foreign exchange transactions of the zone are facilitated by a branch of [[Indian Bank]] located within the SEZ.<ref name="MEPZ_Infra">{{Cite web
| title = Infrastructure
| publisher = MEPZ.gov.in
| url = http://www.mepz.gov.in/infrastructure.asp
| access-date = 30 Mar 2013}}</ref>

==Revenue==
The export turnover for the year 2006-2007 was {{INR}} 24,620 million, of which manufacturing sector accounted for 70 percent.<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/> Garments, software, and engineering products contributed more than 50 percent of the export value. In recent years, engineering sector has been promoted with special reference to automobile ancillaries.<ref name="MEPZ_AboutUs"/>

As of 2008, software exports from the zone averaged {{INR}} 300 to 350 million per month.<ref name="BS_MEPZPosts25PCGrowth"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Business and economics}}
* [[Economy of Chennai]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091212022240/http://www.mepz.gov.in/home.asp Home page of MEPZ]
* [http://sezindia.nic.in/sezindia-msez.asp MEPZ page in SEZIndia.nic.in]

{{Chennai Topics}}

{{coord|12|56|37|N|80|07|16|E|display=title}}

[[Category:Economy of Chennai]]
[[Category:Special Economic Zones of India]]

Madras Export Processing Zone - Revision history

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