New ICT policy to give impetus to IT sector in state

The state's new Information and communications technology (ICT) policy -2013, approved by the Cabinet, is expected to give an impetus to the IT sector in the state.

The new policy aims to promote Odisha as an attractive investment destination for IT/ITES/ESDM (Electronic System Design and Manufacturing) companies by providing them with a congenial, industry friendly and proactive industrial climate.

The policy was prepared after studying the ICT policies of 8-9 sates, said Madhusudan Padhi, the state IT secretary at the Invest Bhubaneswar- 4th Odisha Symposium on Saturday.

In its vision 2020, the policy sets target to attract ten leading IT/ITES and five leading ESDM companies to the state and to take the gross ICT turnover including (including exports of software and IT services, ESDM, domestic consumption and training) to Rs 24, 000 crore.

It also aims to give direct employment to 60,000 professionals in 800 IT/ITES/ESDM units and create a built-up space of 60 lakh square feet and a developed land bank of 2000 acres. The policy among other things also has provisions to attract the investors in the ESDM sector.

As per the estimates, the demand for electronics in India, which was $ 45 billion in 2008-09, is expected to touch $ 400 billion by 2020.

The Union government's National Policy on Electronics has set a target to attract an investment of around $100 billion and create employment for 28 million people by 2020.

To give boost to the ESDM sector, the state government has roped in the India Electronics & Semiconductor Association (IESA), the premier trade body representing the ESDM industry, to prepare the roadmap for the sector.

The draft report of the road map is on the last leg of its preparation.

About 160 acres of the land in the Info-valley area has been earmarked for the ESDM industry. The Info-valley spread over 600 acres of land is developed by the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (Idco), where IT major Infosys is the anchor tenant.

As many as 12275 people are employed in the IT sector in the state and the IT exports from Odisha stood at 1947.35 crore in 2012-13.

Speaking on the occasion, chief secretary Jugal Kishor Mohapatra said, promoting investment should be reckoned as the national duty. "Otherwise, it will not be possible to ensure job creation and provide people the opportunity to increase their income and share the prosperity", he added.