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In this direction, the government has assigned this task to Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keonics), the state-owned IT infrastructure facility services company.
Keonics is actively involved in establishing IT parks in Tier-II cities such as Hubli, Gulbarga, Shimoga, Mysore and Mangalore. The corporation, which has already set up an IT park in Hubli, is now setting up an IT SEZ and an IT park in the non-SEZ areas in Shimoga. Keonics has been mandated to establish and develop these two in KIADB Industrial Estate, off Shimoga-Bhadravathi highway.
The corporation is developing 1 million sft built-up area in 25 acres of land allotted for developing the IT SEZ with an estimated investment of Rs 250 crore on a public private partnership (PPP) model. Co-developers have been identified and the work is in progress in the first phase in an area of 6 acres. All necessary approvals have been obtained from the Centre and other agencies, the Economic Survey 2012-13 said.
The first phase of construction has been completed in the non-SEZ at Shimoga for a built-up area of 67,599 sft out of a total area of 100,000 sft has been completed at a cost of Rs 15.46 crore.
Keonics has also taken up an IT Park project in Gulbarga on 2 acres of land with a built-up area of 150,000 sft in three phases at an estimated cost of Rs 23.90 crore. The construction of the first phase has been completed. The corporation has offered several incentives to the local entrepreneurs, including allotting workspace at nominal rates.
The state government has also approved the proposal for establishing IT parks at Mysore and Mangalore in PPP mode. The tendering process for identifying the private partner has been initiated and the implementation of the project is expected to take off during 2013, the Economic Survey said.
Keonics is also set to play a vital role in the upcoming Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) project conceived and being developed by the central and state governments near Bangalore international airport with an initial investment of Rs 1,600 crore on over 2,100 acres in the first phase.
The project is aimed at housing an IT SEZ and an electronic hardware park among other ancillary industries along with an integrated township.
