UP game for IT parks

Uttar Pradesh wants local development authorities with huge land parcels to play a more active role in setting up information technology (IT) parks. The parks, on three-five acres, could be set up in an urban centre.

While there is no dearth of land with these, other departments, too, own parcels that could be developed.

The IT & electronics department has been asked to draft guidelines for the authorities.

The guidelines, likely to come by August 15, would give details on parks, which could be set up under the Software Technology Park of India scheme, a public private partnership or a joint venture.

"The government feels there is potential for parks in cities, including Lucknow, Meerut and Varanasi," Jiwesh Nandan, principal secretary, IT and electronics department, told Business Standard.

After coming to power, the Akhilesh Yadav government had announced to set up an IT city and an IT park in Lucknow.

This was followed with the announcement of the new IT policy that aimed at promoting cities and towns as emerging Tier-II and -III IT destinations.

However, the policy is yet to show results, though there have been some developments with regard to the proposed park in Lucknow. With an estimated cost of Rs 285 crore, it is proposed to be developed on 1,30,000 square metres near the airport.

Recently, Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani had stressed the need for encouraging private companies to invest in the state and participate in bidding. "The guidelines would also seek to standardise the documents and sanctions needed to set up parks," UP Electronics Managing Director Prabhat Mittal said.