Team Herald
PORVORIM: The State government on Friday announced it would draft a revamped Information Technology (IT) policy in two months focusing on promoting mid-companies and Goan IT companies looking to expand to be set up at the proposed IT Park in Chimbel. The draft Goa Startup Policy with promotion of IT startups and the concept of IT anywhere has been finalised and would be placed before the cabinet shortly.
IT Minister Rohan Khaunte said, “We welcome all types of industries but our immediate focus is on promotion of startups and expansion of existing IT companies,” he said.
“In the third phase we will look for promoting bigger IT companies on public private partnership mode (PPP),” the Minister said adding that the focus on the IT sector is to stop the brain drain and get back the IT experts who have migrated out due to lack of opportunities in the State.
Stating that the Government has not missed the IT bus, Khaunte said the IT Startup policy has been finalised and would be placed before the cabinet soon. “It is going to be one of the finest policies in the country making Goa the most preferred destination for IT,” he announced.
Wanting to promote Goan IT students as job providers rather than job seekers, Government aims at setting up 100 startups in the next five years, Khaunte said adding that 20,000 sq mtrs of land will be demarcated for the purpose in the IT park.
Speaking about the proposed IT park at Chimbel, Khaunte said the land will be marked at three different levels, of which first will be for startups, second 10 acres for Goan IT industry expansion and the rest for big companies.
The Minister said that for the Electronic City at Tuem, Rs 77.7 crore has been received from the Central government. “In both these set ups, we will have a special campus for micro-industrial zones and skilled development,” he said.
He informed the House that the government has constituted Goa IT Development Corporation (GIDC), which will be the special purpose vehicle for enacting policies and to ensure setting up and functioning of IT park and Electronic City. “Both the projects will be in place in next one to one and half years,” Khaunte said.
The Minister also announced setting up 40-seater incubation center in association with STPI (Software Technology Park of India) in Panjim.
Informing the House that the IT Habitat concept has been deleted by the government, Khaunte said the government will soon be setting up Convention Centre at Dona Paula.
—
Govt to launch Citizen Service
Centres in talukas
Aiming to provide an invisible government with visible governance, the IT Department intends to launch Citizen Service Centres (CSC) at the taluka level, making public services across all departments available at the doorstep.
“The CCS will be set up in each taluka. Services related to tourism, revenue or any other public service department would be made available to the people at the CCS counters,” Minister Rohan Khaunte said.
He also said that with the government facing a revenue loss, Mahiti Ghar’s have been closed down.
–]
