Madhya Pradesh woos IT/ITes sector

NEW DELHI, INDIA: India's central state Madhya Pradesh-- known for tropical climate and historical temples and shrines -- is all set to attract IT/ITes industry. 12 IT SEZs in the state have already been approved.

Speaking at the TiEcon 2012 summit in New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh IT secretary Hari Ranjan Rao said that IT/ITes companies are welcome and the government is ready to extend policy support and cherish talent pool. 

In GDP growth, he said, Madhya Pradesh is the second highest contributor in the country. ''We want everybody to be part of the growth story of Madhya Pradesh,'' Rao stressed.

The state is one of the pioneers in e-procurement. Nearly 14.50 lakh farmers are registered with the IT department and they get SMS to sell their produce.

Madhya Pradesh has a network of 24,000 kilometers of fiber optic laid by private operators. As the state is going for polls, it has committed for 24/7 energy supply by the way of feeder separation.

The state has added more than 3,000MW of power and another 3,000MW is in the pipeline, he informed.

''We have two international airports at Bhopal and Indore and have air connectivity with smaller cities that include Gwalior and Jabalpur,'' Rao said.

The state, he said, has earned Rs 2.53 billion in software exports and we have proposed IT Parks in Bhopal, Jabalpur and Indore. 

Madhya Pradesh government also helps companies set up skill gap training centres to facilitate local talent. The state has got more than 1 lakh individuals with engineering and IT skill-sets in 2011.

''The organizations that wish to come to Madhya Pradesh will be given exemption from stamp duty, registration fee and entry tax,'' said Rao. 

The government also plans single window clearance for IT units and rebate up to 75 per cent on land cost which would be available on 99-year lease.

Infosys and Tata Group are planning to open their facilities in Madhya Pradesh while Idea Cellular is setting up its operations in Gwalior soon.