HYDERABAD: In line with the policy resolution of the Government of India, the State Government is planning to set up the first ever Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in the country, around the city. The Government will also promote IT in the rural areas. Chief Minister K. Rosaiah held a policy review meeting with the IT Minister and senior officials on Wednesday and finalised the new strategies.

The ITIR region, spread over an area of 202 sq.km, will comprise areas such as Cyberabad Development Authority (CDA), including Gachibowli and Madhapur; Hyderabad Airport Development Authority (HADA), including Mamidipalli, Raviryal, Adibatla and Maheswaram; Uppal and Pocharam, to provide conducive business environment, transparent investor-friendly policy and excellent infrastructure for the growth of Information Technology, Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) and Electronic Hardware Manufacturing (EHM) units.

The self-contained townships will have the best roads, rail, metro, power, water and drainage, residential, commercial and social infrastructure to remove the strain on the existing urban infrastructure.

All the schemes and incentives, due from the State and the Centre, can be utilised by companies in the ITIR region.

The projected key benefits of the ITIR region will be: direct revenue of Rs 3,10,849 crores, with an investment potential of Rs 2,19,440 crore and an export potential of Rs 2,35,000 crore.

The projected potential employment generated will be of the order of nearly 15 lakhs while the indirect employment will be nearly 53 lakhs.

The expected increase in revenue will be Rs 30,170 crore. For creation of internal infrastructure and external infrastructure Rs 13,093 crore and Rs 2,189 crore respectively will be spent.

The policy review comes in view of the expiry of the present ICT Policy 2005-2010 valid up to March 21.

The upcoming ICT policy 2010-2015 is the result of the wide-ranging consultations with the captains of various verticals of IT/ITES sector in framing the new policy which will be sent to the Centre for approval.

The revised policy also focuses on the promotion of animation and gaming industry and start ups/SMEs in the State through specific measures.

The policy includes steps to take IT to the countryside and deliver benefits to the aam admi in tier-II towns and cities like Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Tirupati, Kakinada, Kadapa and Kurnool among others to boost the employment potential and address regional imbalances.

The A.P. State Wide Area Network (APSWAN) project connecting all the DHQs (district headquarters) and SHQs (state headquarters) will be completed by May 31, 2010. It is also planned to develop a state-of-the-art State Data Centre (SDC) of international standards for keeping the Government data for making available to the citizen on a public online interactive mode and provide mobile e-governance services to the common man with convergence of e-Seva services through mobile communication technology.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Minister of IT; Dr.Sameer Sharma,  Principal Secretary, IT; M.Gopi Krishna, Special Secretary, IT; were among those who were present at the meet.