Pitroda keen on Odisha's offer for technology advisor

May advise state in creating infra in IT, ITes and telecom sectors, and leverage his experience and contact base to attract investments

The Odisha government is in the process of roping in telecom czar Sam Pitroda as an advisor (technology) to the state for the development of telecom, electronics, IT (information technology) and ITes (enabled services) sectors.

Credited with having laid the foundation for India's telecommunications and technology revolution in the 1980s, Pitroda may advise the state in creating the infrastructure in the IT, ITes and telecom sectors. The founder and first Chairman of India's Telecom Commission is also expected to leverage his experience and contact base to attract investments to Odisha.

"We had sent a request to Sam Pitroda for accepting the offer of advisor (technology) to the state government. He has expressed his keenness for the assignment. The state government is awaiting the final confirmation from his office", said state IT minister Pranab Prakash Das.

After a request from the state government Pitroda is believed to have expressed his willingness to the state's proposal. "However, the nitty-gritty is being chalked out. He has considered to the state's offer with no salary and remuneration of any kind", sources said.

Pitroda, who has his roots in Odisha, recently visited the state to release his autobiography book 'Dreaming Big: My Journey to Connect India'.

"The tele-density, the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area, is low in Odisha. Pitroda's rich expertise and experience will be pivotal in driving the telecom and IT sectors in the state to a greater level", said officials said.

Pitroda who had served as an advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, in the rank of a cabinet Minister had headed India's National Knowledge Commission (2005-2009).

To promote investments in the emerging ESDM (electronics system design and manufacturing) space, the state government has finalized a slew of incentives to be offered to the investors in the sector.

Investors with investment exceeding Rs 200 crore and offering employment potential of over 500 would be entitled to 25 per cent investment subsidy on capital investment subject to a ceiling of Rs 50 crore. Further, if their project is financed by public sector banks, the state government would offer an interest subvention of five per cent, among others. The state IT department has also been renamed as the department of electronics and IT.

The state is now looking to pull more investors in IT and electronics space. A mega hub for IT & electronics has been planned at Naraj near Cuttack on over 700 acres of land. The state is also coming up with an electronics manufacturing cluster (EMC) on 207 acres of land on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.