State firms up new IT policy

The state government is likely to come out with a new policy on Information Technology (IT) and related technologies as the existing IT policy (2006-11) is going to lapse by this year-end. “As the present IT policy (2006-11) expires in the next few months,the government has to come out with the new policy considering the development potential for the next five years (2012-2016) in the IT/IT-enabled services,semi-conductor industry,IT-based application services and IT-based electronic service industries in the state,” senior officials said.

“The state’s science & technology department and its nodal agency Gujarat Informatics Ltd (GIL) are preparing a rough draft with the help of a private agency,which is likely to be presented before Chief Minister Narendra Modi on April 11 for first view,” they said.

“IT policy in Karnataka and other states have been studied for this purpose and top IT and related companies are likely to be approached for their views/suggestions etc. The prime objective will be to prepare a policy under which proposed IT investment region (on the lines of petro-chemical & petroleum investment region) and IT special economic zones can be developed and more and more employment can be provided,” sources said.

In the existing policy which was announced in November 2006,the target of achieving Rs 5,000-crore turnover and two lakh jobs in the IT sector during the last five years was envisaged but the government is yet to review the outcome.