Idco to set up incubation centre for IT units

The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco), the nodal agency for providing industrial infrastructure in the state, is setting up an IT incubation centre at Infocity IT/ITes (enabled services) special economic zone (SEZ) located at the city's outskirts.

"The project for incubating the IT/ITes (enabled services) units will comprise twin towers each of G+12 floors spreading over two acres of land. The work order has been issued for construction of G+4 floors of first tower with a cost of Rs 28 crore," said an Idco official.

The estimate of construction of the twin towers is yet to be worked out. Initially, it is decided to provide facilities to the IT and ITes units only, he said.

The incubation centre assumes significance as the state government has set an ambitious target to achieve direct employment for 60,000 people in the IT, ITes and ESDM (electronics system design and manufacturing) units by 2020 in the new ICT (information and communication technology) policy. It also aims at creating six million square feet space for the IT sector.

As per the state ICT policy, 2014, the IT, ITes and ESDM units employing up to 40 employees are eligible to get subsidies on incubation space rental for maximum of two years. The subsidy is applicable to all the government owned facilities as well designated IT parks and incubation centres under the new policy.

The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) has already submitted a detailed project report (DPR) to the state government for setting up an ESDM incubation centre for the start-ups in the city with an investment of about Rs 22 crore over a period of five years. About 40 start ups in ESDM will be benefited over a period of five years. The ESDM incubation centre aims at achieving the objectives of the ESDM vision outlined in the National Policy on Electronics and other policies.