IT, ITeS sector allocated Rs 1680 crore fund in '08-09

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The IT and ITeS sector has been allocated Rs 1680 crore in 2008-09 from Rs 1500 crore in the current fiscal, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Friday.

"Government's forward looking policy is driving the growth of information technology and information technology enabled services. I propose to enhance the allocation to the Department of Information Technology from Rs 1,500 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 1,680 crore in 2008-09," Chidambaram said while presenting the national budget in the Lok Sabha Friday.

He also highlighted that the scheme for establishing 100,000 broadband Internet-enabled common service centres in rural areas and the scheme for establishing state wide area networks (SWAN) with the help of the government were under implementation.

"A new scheme for state data centres has also been approved. I propose to provide Rs 75 crore for the common service centres, Rs 450 crore for SWAN and Rs 275 crore for the state data centres," he said.

Source: Agencies