With an ambitious target to increase exports from the existing Rs 3,000 crore to as high as rs 25,000 crore in the information technology (IT) sector, the Gujarat government rolled out its new Information Technology & Information Technology-enabled Services (IT & ITeS) policy, 2022-2027, on Tuesday.
The new IT & ITeS policy of the state is envisioned to transform its IT landscape in the IT ecosystem, said Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, expressing confidence to create 1 lakh IT-related jobs across Gujarat in the next five years. After announcing the policy, Patel said that Gujarat would become a “destination of choice” for the IT ecosystem, by strengthening various aspects, to make Gujarat one of the leading states in the field of IT.
Patel claimed that the policy focused on creating a highly-skilled, industry-ready IT talent pool and IT infrastructure. The policy would help to develop a unique and simplified incentive scheme, establish a robust cloud ecosystem in the state and foster research & development in new and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, blockchain etc, he said, adding that in the process, Gujarat’s annual exports is expected to increase from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 25,000 crore in the IT & ITeS sector.
The new policy, which would replace the IT & ITeS policy, 2016-2021, Tuesday onwards, introduced a unique concept of a CAPEX-OPEX model, which is a first-of-its-kind across the nation, claimed Gujarat’s IT minister Jitu Vaghani, adding that the policy envisions CAPEX support of 25% up to `50 crore for normal projects and Rs 200 crore for mega projects. Under the OPEX model, the government will provide support of 15% up to Rs 20 crore per year for normal projects and Rs 40 crore per year for mega projects, said Vaghani.
In the coming five years, Gujarat aims to be among the top five states in India as far as the IT & ITeS industry is concerned, said Vijay Nehra, Gujarat’s secretary to the department of science & technology (DST). The new policy offers an employment generation incentive (EGI) up to Rs 60,000 per employee, up to 100% reimbursement of employer’s EPF contribution through Atmanirbhar Gujarat Rojgar Sahay, assistance for interest repayment on term loan up to Rs 5 crore and 100% reimbursement of electricity duty to all eligible IT and ITeS units, said Nehra. The new policy would also encourage cloud infrastructure, cable landing station and co-working facilities, he added. Under the new policy, the state government is aiming to establish an AI school and AI centre of excellence in the state, with the objective to become the foremost source of industry ready skilled talent for the IT industry.
Some of the other salient features of the policy include financial support up to Rs 50,000 per person through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to the graduate students and working professionals for skill development, large-scale information, education & communication (IEC) programmes targeting schoolchildren and general public for improving digital literacy and enhancing awareness of IT and incentivising the development of IT cities/townships with CAPEX support up to Rs 100 crore and relaxations in regulatory & FCI norms.
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