The study, to be commissioned by the commerce ministry, would be initiated from April and is likely to be completed in the next six to seven months, a senior official said.

"It would be a micro study. We would undertake a field study of the areas where special economic zones are being developed," he said, adding that about 12 institutes including think tank CUTS would be involved in the study.

The study would assess the way farmers, who have sold their land, are utilising the money and also the impact it has had on their standard of living. The official further said no SEZs would be approved, if even there is a single farmer complaint of forceful land acquisition.

"There has been some mis-information about special economic zones. The zones are not foreign territories and it is only for the purpose of custom duties that they are treated so. Otherwise, every single law is applicable to these zones," he said.