Maharashtra mulls over Green IT awards

MUMBAI, INDIA: The Maharashtra State Government proposed its new IT policy for 2009-2014 early this year to boost IT industry in the state. The new IT policy has widened its scope across IT sector with inclusion of segments like hardware, animation, gaming and visual effects along with IT and ITeS.

While, the new policy is aimed to provide an impetus to the state's economy and enhance the growth of IT industry with more jobs and businesses, the state government also wants to emphasize on the use of green technology which is environment-friendly and has low impact on nature.

The government is giving a serious thought of conferring businesses with awards, which are are using or have adopted eco-friendly or green technological initiatives.

“The state is encouraging businesses and industries to use green technology, which is safe to nature and humans and also have less impact on the environment. For those enterprises or businesses which have taken such green technology initiatives, the government is planning to present them with green IT awards,” says Malini Shankar, IAS and Development Commissioner (Industries), Government of Maharashtra.

The state IT department along with various group of industries will meet on 6 January next year to prepare a draft of the proposal and will also release a white paper with a handbook and a website for providing information, she adds.

Moreover, under the new IT policy, the state government has decided to procure IT devices and equipment from those vendors that have the re-cycling facility.