New policy to make IT hub in MP

Bhopal, Mar 22 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government has taken significant steps towards developing the state into an Information Technology (IT) hub by providing various incentives to attract prospective industrialists for investing in this segment.

After the proposed IT park in Indore starts, IT parks will come up in the state capital, Gwalior and Jabalpur in a phased manner, with an investment of around Rs 250 crore, official sources told UNI here.

Announcing the new IT Policy in assembly yesterday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said several provisions and concessions had been made in the policy to win over entrepreneurs.

Mr Chouhan had said the new policy incorporated salient features of similar policies in other states and despite a delayed start, efforts would be made to make it beneficial.

Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh he said, land concession for setting up IT industries would generate employment.

Besides, emphasis had been laid on capacity building wherein 500 schools would be earmarked as IT complex to impart entire teaching through computers. All engineering colleges and selected polytechnics would be identified as centres of excellence to develop skill-bank in the state, the Chief Minister said.

Steps are being taken with respect to demand by major IT companies for better flight services and international standard airports in Bhopal and Indore -- where major IT projects will come up. Arrangements for regular power supply and exemptions in the Factory Act have also been made, he added.

Tata Consultancy Services is coming up with a massive project in the state worth several hundred crores of rupees.

The proposed IT park in the state capital has been caught up in a legal hurdle, as the 200 acre land -- where the park was to come up -- originally belonged to the Bhopal Development Authority but had been later allotted to the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation Limited.

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