NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Stating that the government will come out with master plans for electronic city at Tuyem and information technology park at Chimbel by the end of this month, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Monday said that even though the upcoming Electronic City would be fully operational in next four to five years, it will start creation of jobs in its IT units, startups and incubation centres, within next one to one-and-a-half year, including training of the workforce.
He also said the decision of the government to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Software Technology Parks of India would give a big boost to the units in the electronic city as well as the IT park, related to the information technology, information technology enabled services, and electronic system design and manufacturing, enabling them to leverage the statuary services provided by the STPI such as single-window clearance for software exports and so on.
“The government will also set up a ‘plug and play’ facility at the department of industries, trade and commerce in the city as well as an incubation centre at the Tool Room and Training College Centre at Kundaim within next two-three months,” he added, pointing out that these facilities would assist the STPI in its functioning.
Earlier, Chief Secretary R K Srivastava and Director General of STPI, Dr Omkar Rai inked the MoU in the presence of Parsekar and IT director Ameya Abhyankar.
The Chief Minister also launched a facility as regards e-registration of IT/ ITES/ ESDM units under the IT Investment Policy 2015-16.
Parsekar said the master plans for the Electronic City as well as the IT Park would be put before the village panchayats of Tuyem and Chimbel, where the two projects are coming up.
“Furthermore, these plans would be kept open for the people, particularly for those from the two areas,” he said adding that the government officials would also visit the two villages to answer the public queries.
Parsekar said the areas earmarked for the Electronic City and the IT Park have been mutated in the name of the department of information technology, access roads provided to them, and requirement of power as well as water supply to them taken care of. “Besides, consultants have been put up for both these sites, and they have already started their work,” he noted.
The Director General of STPI said the STPI would come up with a state-of-the-art incubator to support the IT industry as well as the start up industry in Goa, on a land allotted by the government in the IT Park. He said that as of now, Goa has got 10 IT units registered with the STPI, and the IT-related export from Goa has been to the tune of Rs 149.52 crore.
The IT director said the MoU signed between the state government and the STPI would work towards setting up a strong base for the IT, ITES and ESDM hub in Goa, as well as creating conducive environment for the growth of IT sector, and generation of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
“The state government, for this purpose will take the assistance as well as expertise of the STPI, enabling it to plan and execute its schemes/ projects successfully,” he added.
It was also informed that the e-registration facility launched by the government is in consonance with the IT investment policy 2015-20, and would help the IT, ITES as well as ESDM units to avail benefits pertaining to electricity duty, value added tax and so on.
The particular facility will soon have a claims module, through which these units would be able to submit their claims for the government incentives. The respective departments will validate the claims, and pass them over to a committee, which in turn would transfer the benefit money in the accounts of the units, with the entire process being electronic in nature, with a dashboard showing the status of the claims.