12 IT parks lined up for tier II cities

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) will open 12 new software parks across the country over the next one year. This, the company says, will look to taking the IT boom to the tier-II cities.

The parks will be set up at Patna, Siliguri, Haldia, Bhopal, Berhampur, Gwalior, Shillong, Gulbarga, Agra, Agartala, Goa and Kalzhinada. While the total investment will be of Rs 60 crore, STPI hopes that the proposed parks will generate employment for at least two lakh people over the next three years.

The proposed parks, spread across 10,000 square feet, will be funded partly by the STPI and the state governments.

The parks, approved by the respective state governments, will have the STPI providing telecommunication & networking, offices and incubation. The state governments would provide land, building and an additional Rs 1 crore per park, an official added. The cost per park, estimated at about Rs 5 crore, is significantly lower than those for previous STPI projects.

"The cost is substantially lower as the real estate, building and other expenses are much lower for these tier-2 cities," the official said.

"While construction has already started for the Patna park, the parks are likely to be operational by the next financial year. The parks in Haldia and Siliguri could be operational by April 2006," the official added.

The government is hoping that the proposed software parks will create substantial employment in these tier-2 and tier-3 cities.