G.K. Pillai

Retirement as Home Secretary 30 Jun 2011 to APSEZ board 19 Oct 2012. The last Adani item his SEZ Board decided (2 Jun 2009, Adani Power to 5200 MW) came 1235 days before the board seat; the 18 Sep 2007 formal approval came about five years before it.

The rule: AIS (DCRB) Rules 1958, rule 26: one year after retirement, unless the Centre gives prior sanction.

The gap exceeds the one-year rule. The Telegraph (2016) described the bar as a 'two-year cooling-off period'; the rule text we hold says one year. No sanction record needed or found.

1. 30 Jun 2009 to 30 Jun 2011Documented

   Union Home Secretary (earlier Commerce Secretary, Sep 2006 to Jun 2009, chairing the SEZ Board of Approval)

   Indian Express · Governance Now (fetched via r.jina.ai) · Oneindia

2. 477 days after leaving.

3. 19 Oct 2012Documented

   Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ)

   Non-Executive Independent Director (from 19 Oct 2012; Companies Act terms from 9 Aug 2014 and 9 Aug 2019; term completed 8 Aug 2024)

   Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited announced that the Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on October 19, 2012 has approved that Mr. G K Pillai has been appointed as Non Executive Independent Director on the Board of the company with immediate effect.

   APSEZ · MarketScreener / S&P Capital IQ (fetched via r.jina.ai) · APSEZ / BSE

1. Granted formal approval to the Mundra multi-product SEZ as two separate SEZs (land held by Mundra SEZ Ltd, 1081.91 ha, and Gujarat Adani Port Ltd, 2658.19 ha), and approved Adani Power Private Limited and Mundra SEZ Integrated Textiles and Apparel Park as co-developers of Mundra SEZ.

   When

   17 Mar 2006

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 1st meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

   Note

   He chaired as Special Secretary; he became Commerce Secretary on 30 Sep 2006.

   A meeting of the Board of Approval was held on 17.3.2006 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce

   The Board decided to grant formal approval to two separate SEZs, each of which independently met the minimum area requirement.

   Apparel Park as co-developer of Mundra SEZ. (ii)Adani Power Private Limited as co-developer of Mundra SEZ. The proposals were approved by the Board.

2. Granted in-principle approval to Gujarat Adani Exports Ltd for a 1000-hectare multi-product SEZ at Dholera, Ahmedabad district (land not yet in its possession; the state had recommended it). Two Gujarat Adani Port requests (public thoroughfare waiver, area expansion) were deferred because the SEZ was not yet notified.

   When

   12 Jun 2006

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 2nd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

   A meeting of the Board of Approval was held on 12.06.2006 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce

   the Board decided to grant in principle approval for setting up of a Multi-Product SEZ in Village Dholera, Taluka: Dhandhuka, District Ahmedabad, Gujarat over an area of 1000 Hectares.

3. Approved the authorized operations of co-developer Adani Power in Mundra SEZ over CBDT/CBEC objections, with the condition that SEZ benefits accrue only after notification; rejected the request to notify part of Mundra SEZ as a power-sector SEZ (the developer could apply afresh). Three GAPL requests were deferred.

   When

   8 Aug 2006

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 3rd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

   A meeting of the Board of Approval was held on 08.08.2006 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce

   The Chairman clarified that any benefit under the Act would accrue to the SEZ only after the SEZ Notification is issued.

   The Board rejected the request and decided that the Developer may be asked to apply afresh for a new Power sector specific SEZ if they so desire.

4. Granted in-principle approval to Adani Exports Ltd for a multi-product SEZ in Alwar district, Rajasthan, over 1000 hectares (it had applied for 10,000; the Board told it to come back with expansion plans).

   When

   6 Oct 2006

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 6th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   Minutes of the 6th Meeting of the Board of Approvals held on 6th October 2006 under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K Pillai, Commerce Secretary

   the Board decided to grant in-principle approval for setting up of a sector specific SEZ for Multi product at Alwar District, Rajasthan by Adani Exports Limited with an area of 1000 hectares.

5. Granted formal approval to Adani Power Private Limited for a power-sector SEZ at Tunda and Siracha villages, Mundra, over 293-88-10 hectares. Five GAPL/MPSEZ requests were deferred at Customs' request.

   When

   27 Oct 2006

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 8th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   A meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 27th October 2006 at 02.30 pm under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

   Accordingly, the Board decided to grant formal approval for setting up of a sector specific SEZ for Power sector specific SEZ for supply of power to SEZs, EOUs in Gujarat and other SEZs EOUs and others at Village Tunda and Sircha, Taluka Mundra, District Kutch, Gujarat by Adani Power Private Limited over an area of 293-88-10 hectares.

6. Granted formal approval to Adani Townships & Real Estate Co. for a 20-hectare IT/ITES SEZ at Dantali, SG Highway, Ahmedabad; approved Adani Power's authorized operations in its Kutch power SEZ (except parking), subject to power-sale norms to be finalised. Four MPSEZ requests were deferred over the Revenue Department's objection to including the existing port.

   When

   31 May 2007

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 12th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   12th meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 31.05.2007 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

   Accordingly, the Board decided to grant formal approval for setting up of a sector specific SEZ for IT/ITES sector at Dantali Village on SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat by Adani Townships & Real Estate Company Private Limited over an area of 20 hectares.

   It was decided to defer the above proposals in view of the issues raised by the Department of Revenue regarding inclusion of existing Port into SEZ.

7. Approved Adani Power's request to raise generation capacity in its Mundra SEZ from 2000 MW to 2640 MW, subject to norms still being worked out. (MPSEZ Utilities' co-developer request was deferred at the CBEC member's request.)

   When

   8 Aug 2007

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 16th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   The sixteenth meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 08.08.2007 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

   the Board decided to approve the request of Adani Power Limited for increase in power generation capacity in the SEZ from 2000 MW to 2640 MW, subject to norms, which are being worked out and will be laid down.

8. Granted formal approval to Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd (MPSEZL, now APSEZ) for a multi-product SEZ at Mundra over 1074.176 hectares (5000 sought; the state recommended 1074.1755), subject to the Revenue Department reporting any objection within about two weeks.

   When

   18 Sep 2007

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 18th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   Note

   ET (20 Oct 2007) reported this formal approval as given 'on Friday' (19 Oct 2007); the 19th-meeting minutes (19 Oct 2007) have no Mundra item, so the minutes' date of 18 Sep 2007 is used.

   The eighteenth meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 18.09.2007 at 3.00 P.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, Department of Commerce

   If they had any objection they would communicate the same to the Department of Commerce. Subject to this, after detailed deliberations, the Board decided to grant formal approval for setting up of a Multi Product SEZ at Mundra Taluka, District Kutch, Gujarat by Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (MPSEZL) - over an area of 1074.176 hectares.

   He was chairman of Board of Approvals for SEZ, chief negotiator for India at the WTO and Secretary Commerce, Government of India.

9. Approved two authorized operations (workers' hostel/dormitories of 16,500 sq m; factory buildings) for co-developer Mundra SEZ Integrated Textile and Apparel Park. Deferred the other MPSEZ and Adani Power items (capacity increase, MPSEZ Utilities, ADICORP) alongside Essar's; the ADICORP social-infrastructure proposal was recorded as 'an already approved item'.

   When

   2 Jan 2008

   Role

   SEZ Board of Approval, 20th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

   The twentieth meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 02.01.2008 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

   After deliberation, the Board decided to grant approval to the following authorized activities of M/s Mundra SEZ Integrated Textile and Apparel Park for authorized operations as co-developer of Mundra SEZ:

   relating to proposal of “Adicorp Mundra SEZ Infrastructure Private Limited (ADICORP) for co-developer of Mundra SEZ for providing social infrastructure”, which was an already approved item:

10. Approved the addition of 1850.5665 hectares to MPSEZL's multi-product SEZ in Kutch, after the zone's Development Commissioner said the land was contiguous, vacant and in the developer's possession.

    When

    25 Feb 2008

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 22nd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

    The twenty second meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 25.02.2008 at 9.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

    After deliberations, the Board decided to grant approval to the request of M/s. Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited for addition of an area of 1850.5665 hectares in the multi product SEZ in Kutch, Gujarat.

11. Deferred Adani Power's request to raise capacity further; suggested it first build the 2640 MW already approved.

    When

    20 Mar 2008

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 23rd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, per the minutes)

    The twenty third meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 20.03.2008 at 9.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary

    After deliberations, the Board decided to defer the proposal and suggested that in the first phase, the Developer may set up the power generation plant with the previously approved capacity of 2640 MW and may come back later, if required.

12. Approved the inclusion of a further 263-22-97 hectares in MPSEZL's multi-product SEZ (on top of 4583-37-10 ha already notified/approved), on condition that it excludes any area of the existing port. Two co-developer requests (Hind Terminals, Empezar Logistics) were deferred because the existing-port issue was before the Empowered Group of Ministers.

    When

    1 May 2008

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 24th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

    Note

    The minutes' title says 1 May 2008 and the file name 1052008, but the opening paragraph says 01.04.2008; the 23rd meeting was on 20 Mar 2008 and the 25th on 16 May 2008.

    The twenty fourth meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 01.04.2008 at 10.30 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce

    for inclusion of additional area to the extent of 263- 22-97 hectares in their multi-product SEZ in Kutch, Mundra, Gujarat to the already notified / approved area of 4583-37-10 hectares subject to the condition that it should not include any area of the existing port.

13. Approved a 100-bed hospital (6500 sq m) in the non-processing area of MPSEZ Phase II, and two co-developers in MPSEZ Part II: MPSEZ Utilities Pvt Ltd (100% subsidiary of the developer) and Adicorp Mundra SEZ Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises).

    When

    26 Jun 2008

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 26th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

    Note

    The title says 4 June 2008; the opening paragraph says 26.06.2008. The 25th meeting was 16 May and the 27th 1 Aug 2008.

    The twenty sixth meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 26.06.2008 at 10.00 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce

    After deliberation, the Board decided to approve the request of the developer for setting up of 100 bed hospital with a built up space of 6500 sq. meters, in the non-processing area in the multi product SEZ in Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat

    Adani Enterprises Limited, whose net worth is Rs. 1150 crore. After deliberations, the Board decided to approve the request of M/s. Adicorp Mundra SEZ Infrastructure Private Limited for co-developer in the multi product SEZ (MPSEZ-Part-II) at Mundra, Kutch District, Gujarat

14. Approved ADICORP's authorized operations in the non-processing area of Mundra SEZ (among them 6000 residential units with 6,40,000 sq m built up, schools, retail, a 10-bed hospital), excluding the existing port area; approved MPSEZ Utilities as co-developer in the Mundra multi-product SEZ.

    When

    1 Aug 2008

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 27th meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

    The twenty seventh meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 01.08.2008 at 2.30 P.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce

    After deliberation, the Board decided to approve the authorized activities in the non- processing area of the SEZ, as listed below, subject to excluding the existing port area from these authorized activities:

    After deliberations, the Board decided to grant approval to the request of MPSEZ Utilities Pvt. Ltd. for co-developer in the multi product SEZ at Mundra, Gujarat proposed to be developed by Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (MPSEZL)

15. The EGoM accepted the Commerce Ministry's reading of 'vacant land', so the Mundra SEZ did not have to be de-notified; the pre-existing port's built-up area would get no tax benefits; it also approved clubbing Adani's three Mundra SEZs. Pillai's department was the lead ministry; he was not a member of the ministers' group, and no record we hold shows his personal role.

    When

    24 Oct 2008

    Role

    Empowered Group of Ministers on SEZs (not the Board of Approval; the Department of Commerce, which he headed, was the lead ministry)

    The empowered group of ministers on special economic zones on Friday agreed to the commerce ministry's stand on 'vacant land' in the context of the tax-free industrial enclaves.

    During the course of deliberations, the attorney general endorsed the commerce ministry's view on vacant land.

    It was also decided that the case of M/s Mundra Port and M/s Essar would be treated as exceptions and that for other proposals of SEZ, the condition of land being vacant would be insisted upon

    In the meeting of EGoM held on 24th October 2008, the request of the developer for clubbing of these three SEZs and relaxing the cap of 5000 hectares was approved.

16. Approved notification of the merger of Adani's three Mundra SEZs (MPSEZ-I, MPSEZ-II, Adani Power SEZ), subject to a flyover over the public road to the old port; allowed six gates; approved five co-developers, including Adani Power for power generation, transmission and distribution on 293.8810 ha. Did not yet add 258 ha the Gujarat government had not handed over, and deferred Adani Power's request to go from 2640 MW to 5040 MW.

    When

    23 Feb 2009

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 32nd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

    Note

    This is the 'February 2009 agenda' item earlier left unread. The agenda (a scan, misnamed '23rd meeting aganda' on the site) is now OCR'd, and the meeting's own minutes have a clean text layer.

    The thirty second meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 23.02.2009 at 10.00 A.M. under the Chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce

    BOA accordingly approved the notification of the merger of the existing three SEZs, subject to establishment of contiguity by construction of a flyover over the existing public road.

    After deliberations, the Board decided to grant approval to the request of M/s. Adani Power Limited for co-developer for setting up of generation, transmission, distribution of power and related infrastructure facilities on an area of 293.8810 hectares of the SEZ.

    BOA indicated that the current utilization of power is very low and it is preferable that the developer comes back with a clear plan for power utilization based on which BOA can take a decision. BOA then decided to defer the decision on this proposal.

17. Approved Adani Power's request to raise generation capacity in the Mundra SEZ from 2640 MW to 5200 MW, subject to the Department of Commerce's power guidelines of 27 Feb 2009, after the Revenue representative said there could be no objection given the state's recommendation. This was the last Board meeting he chaired; he became Home Secretary on 30 Jun 2009.

    When

    2 Jun 2009

    Role

    SEZ Board of Approval, 33rd meeting (chaired by G.K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce, per the minutes)

    The thirty third meeting of the SEZ Board of Approval was held on 02.06.2009 at 10.30 A.M. under the chairmanship of Shri Gopal K. Pillai, Secretary, Department of Commerce

    After deliberations the Board decided to approve the request of M/s. Adani Power Limited for further increasing the power generation capacity from 2640 MW to 5200 MW in the SEZ for supply of power at Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat

18. The Home Ministry denied Adani Ports (then MPSEZ) security clearance to bid for major-port projects from November 2010, including JNPT's fourth container terminal, Visakhapatnam and Vizhinjam; reasons were never disclosed. MPSEZ challenged the JNPT denial in the Bombay High Court in 2011. Clearance came in May 2013, after he had left. This decision went against the company. No source shows who in the ministry took it.

    When

    Nov 2010

    Role

    Ministry of Home Affairs (G.K. Pillai was Union Home Secretary, 30 Jun 2009 to 30 Jun 2011)

    Note

    Unlike the SEZ items, this pairing was made in print: ET (7 Nov 2012) placed his appointment next to the denials and wrote that Adani Ports 'is likely to look up to GK Pillai to provide crucial inputs'. That is ET's speculation, not a finding.

    Since November 2010, Adani Ports has been denied security clearance by the government to bid for projects such as the fourth container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru port, mechanized iron ore loading facilities at Vizag port and operating Vizhinjam port in Kerala. The reasons for denial have not been disclosed by the government.

    MPSEZ was denied security clearance by the ministry of home affairs and so, the shipping ministry wouldn’t allow it to bid for two projects at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (Navi Mumbai), plus projects at Visakhapatnam and Mumbai ports.

    APSEZ has been consistently denied security clearance by the home ministry since November 2010 due to undisclosed reasons, which upset the company’s expansion plans within the country as it could not bid for projects worth Rs 20,000 crore.

    GK Pillai was union home secretary between 2009 and 2011, a period when Adani Port was denied security clearance to participate in a project at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust by the home ministry.

    Adani Ports, which has been consistently denied security clearance by the home ministry for various projects at JNPT, Kerala and Tamil Nadu since 2010, is likely to look up to GK Pillai to provide crucial inputs to sort out much of their problems.

He chaired every SEZ Board of Approval meeting from the 1st (17 Mar 2006, as Special Secretary) to the 33rd (2 Jun 2009); the minutes' opening paragraph names him as chair for each. Read for Adani items: meetings 1-3, 6, 8-10, 12, 14-18, 20-24, 26-28, 30-33, plus the 11th's corrigendum. No Adani item was found in the 4th, 7th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 25th, 29th and 31st; the 5th meeting's main minutes and the 11th meeting's (9 May 2007) minutes are not on the site or in the Wayback Machine. Notifications (Department of Commerce, signed by Joint Secretary Anil Mukim, not by him) in his Commerce tenure: S.O. 742(E), 10 May 2007, the Adani Power SEZ (293-88-10 ha; letter of approval 19 Dec 2006); S.O. 1079(E), 2 May 2008, MPSEZ-II (1074-17-55 ha; letter of approval 18 Mar 2008); also S.O. 1071(E), 3 Jul 2007, and S.O. 1365(E), 27 May 2009 (scans, not quoted). The Board also deferred or refused Adani requests in this period (see board_deferrals, the 3rd meeting's refusal, and the 23rd and 32nd meetings' capacity deferrals). The Revenue Department objected throughout to including the existing port; the dispute went to the Attorney General, who backed Commerce's view, and to the EGoM. Home Ministry 2009-2011: the one Adani matter found is the security-clearance denials from November 2010, a decision against the company.

Response: G.K. Pillai, 2 Mar 2016

“I am working as an independent director with Adani Ports for the past two and a half years. I attend all the board meetings there.” telegraphindia.com

Given to The Telegraph about the directorship generally; not a response to the SEZ approval, which that report does not mention.