To focus on entrepreneurship in ICT space.
Having set its eyes on emerging businesses from local entrepreneurs in information and communications technology (ICT) space, the Gujarat government is likely to announce a new IT Policy early next year as the existing IT policy has expired in November 2011.
The new IT policy will be focused on making human resources available to the IT set-ups, developing infrastructure for IT industry as well as some fiscal sops in the form of subsidy or incentives, informed top official of the state government.
"The new IT policy will be announced early next year, most probably in January as the current one has expired. The consultations are being made by a committee set up to form the new IT policy. This policy will be in tandem with the Government of India's IT policy," said Ravi Saxena, additional chief secretary, department of science and technology, Government of Gujarat.
The state has witnessed rapid growth on the IT front during past five years of IT Policy 2006-2011. The policy was aimed at bringing IT companies in state and increase business prospects for state's IT industry.
The policy had pegged a target of an annual turnover of Rs 5000 crore by the state's IT sector, which has been successfully achieved 6 months prior to the completion of the policy period.
According to Saxena, the new IT policy will focus on providing support for growth of electronics industry with key features including HR availability, infrastructure, ease of setting up new businesses and lower land prices.
"IT and ITeS industry in Gujarat is growing at a rapid pace. Our exports are likely to rise to Rs 1,200 crore during 2011-12, showing a growth of about 10 per cent over last year. Country's exports are likely to grow by 20 per cent," said Saxena.
The industry players are buoyant about the proposed new IT policy. "While past policy was more concentrated on big boys of IT sector, the proposed new IT policy is believed to take care of new local units, which were somehow ignored in the past policy. It seems that the new policy would encourage entrepreneurs in the ICT space," said Sunil Kakkad, chairman and managing director, Sai Infosystems Ltd and president Gujarat Electronics and Software Industries Association (GESIA).
Kakkad further mentioned that past five years brought major changes in the state's IT industry and made it a noticeable industry, with new proposed policy we expect it to make Gujarat mark its presence in the country's map of IT industry.
