The term: FTZ / SEZ

A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a geographical region that has more liberal economic laws than the ones generally followed in the rest of the country. The category 'SEZ' covers a broad range of more specific zone types: Free Trade Zones (FTZ), Export Processing Zones (EPZ), Free Zones (FZ), Industrial Estates (IE), Free Ports, Urban Enterprise Zones and others.

A FTZ (Free Trade Zone) is a particular area of a country where normal trade barriers & requirements like taxes, tariffs, and quotas are either eliminated or reduced, to attract businesses & investment. FTZs are usually characterised by labour intensive manufacturing set-ups that involve a high level of imports & exports. These kinds of zones are mostly prevalent in developing nations, and further in under-developed regions of that nation. In India, FTZs are seen as those areas where goods maybe landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, & re-exported without much intervention from customs authorities. Only when the goods are moved to consumers in the rest of the country, do they become subject to the prevailing customs duties.

With a view 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 FDI in India, the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Policy was announced in April 2000. This policy intended to make SEZs an engine for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure, attractive fiscal package, both at the Centre and the State level, with the minimum possible regulations.
In India, the setting up of SEZs can be done by the public, private, joint sector or by State Governments. Some of the existing Export Processing Zones (EPZs) have also been converted into Special Economic Zones:

1.  SEEPZ Special Economic Zone
2.  Kandla Special Economic Zone
3.  Cochin Special Economic Zone
4.  Madras Special Economic Zone
5.  Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone
6.  Falta Special Economic Zone
7.  Noida Export Processing Zone 
8.  Surat Special Economic Zone
9.  Manikanchan Salt Lake Special Economic Zone
10.  Indore Special Economic Zone 
11.  Jaipur Special Economic Zone 
12.  Mahindra City- Special Economic Zone, Chennai
13.  Salt Lake Electronic City- Special Economic Zone, Kolkata
14.  Moradabad Special Economic Zone 
15.  Jodhpur Special Economic Zone 
16.  Surat Apparel Special Economic Zone, Surat 
17.  Nokia SEZ, Tamil Nadu