Following severe criticism from the agitating people of Seemandhra over the setting up of Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in the IT hub of Hyderabad, the state government has now proposed another edition of ITIR in Anantapuram, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.
The Seemandhra leaders had questioned the motive of locating another major project again at Hyderabad, an established IT hub, while there was much anguish over the status of the capital.
According state IT Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah suitable sites for the next edition of ITIR at Mannavaram, near Tirupati, where a Rs 6,000 crore NTPC-BHEL power project is coming up 4,000 acres near Tirupati and a 4,000-acre near the Chittoor industrial cluster, where 12,000 acres of land have been acquired.
Ernst and Young have been entrusted with preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and its officials would be meeting different stakeholders and government officials on October 24 and 25. There will be another meeting with all the stakeholders in Tirupati on 26 October.
Already a detailed report pertaining to the proposed ITIR in 12,000 acres at Visakhapatnam has been prepared and submitted to the state government, which would be forwarding the proposal to the Centre shortly.
The third IT zone will be coming up on 4,000 acres of land in Anantapur district. The ITIRs will be on the lines of the one approved for Hyderabad.
In this backdrop, Ponnala organized a workshop on Hyderabad ITIR on Tuesday with the concerned executing agencies of the Government and stake holders.
Speaking on the occasion, Ponnala said the ITIR project has nothing to do with Telangana State.
In the first phase of the project, basic facilities will be improved Madapur, Shamshabad and Pocharam. He said the Centre approved a Policy Resolution on way back in 29th May, 2008 to set up Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIRs) in different States.
As per the policy, the Centre would provide necessary viability gap funding for external physical infrastructure through existing schemes.
ITE&C Dept submitted a proposal to Government of India on 9 March, 2010, for creation and development of ITIR in 202 sq.km (49,913 acres) in Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Area.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), at their meeting held on 20 September, this year, considered the proposal and the notification to this effect is yet to be issued.
The ITIR is expected to attract a total investment of about Rs.2, 19,440 crores and when fully implemented and commissioned it would generate an additional direct IT employment of 15.4 lakhs (14 lakhs jobs in IT, ITES and 1.4 lakhs jobs in EHM Sectors).
