UP govt urged to set up IT park for SMEs

The information technology industry in Uttar Pradesh has urged the government to set up an IT park in the Lucknow Industrial Development Authority (Lida).

Since, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for over 60 per cent of state industries, the industry wants the IT Park to be dedicated to the sector.

Besides, the industry wants simpler registration process for the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) and subsidy for IT solutions for medium small and micro enterprises (MSMEs).

“The STPI registration process is very cumbersome. Despite India’s big domestic IT market, there is no technology park exclusively for the SME IT companies. There is need to develop such an IT park at Lida,” Indian Industries Association executive director DS Verma said.

Lida is a proposed industrial enclave along the Lucknow-Kanpur highway. The corridor is likely to give a major fillip to the industrial and commercial development in the region on the lines of Noida.

IIA proposes to take up massive awareness campaign on IT use among MSMEs in collaboration with industry associations and solution providers. Recently, an IIA delegation met UP principal secretary - IT department, Chandra Prakash to discuss IT use for disseminating updated, relevant and accurate information to the investors in UP.

“The objective was to find ways and means to facilitate the much-desired investment in UP by attracting potential investors from India and abroad,” Verma added.

During a recent visit to Lucknow, S Ramadorai, managing director and CEO of Tata Consultancy Services, also called for 'proactive steps' by Uttar Pradesh to develop Lucknow as an IT hub. According to Ramadorai, the city has the potential to emerge as an IT hub as 12 per cent of India’s top-of-line IT professionals come from this part of the country.