The Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA) has urged the AP Government to facilitate the setting up of two mega IT Parks each 25 lakh square feet apiece and sanction of a start-up village for outright allotment of land to NRIs to promote IT here.

Mega IT Parks like Raheja IT park will give a big boost to the investment flow and lead to creation of jobs, according to local IT entrepreneurs. They are unhappy with the offer made by the APIIC to entrepreneurs at the rate of Rs. 2.5 crore as lease premium and annual rental of Rs. 5 lakh for setting up units in IT parks.

According to O. Naresh Kumar, the CEO of Symbiosys and the vice-president of the association, “Despite heavy investment on infrastructure, the lease period is restricted to 33 years and the bankers are not coming forward to give loans. The employment criterion of creating 500 jobs per acre is on the higher side. Pay first, take later (incentives promised by government) is a retrograde step.”

He said an amount of Rs.1500 crore towards incentives to IT companies was due for past three years and several representations to the authorities had elicited no response. While welcoming the establishment of Sunrise Start-up Village at Rushikonda in the Madhurawada IT Special Economic Zone, he said an exclusive village with 200 acres should be started for outright sale of land to NRIs.

He said several NRIs were either visiting Vizag or making enquiries through their relatives on availability of sites from the government for outright sale. He urged the AP Government to act fast and attract large-scale investment into the IT Sector, as the city was ideally suited for its development.

#sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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