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Madhya Pradesh unveils IT policy

This should generation 400,000 to 1 million jobs in the state, it is estimated.

MP's IT policy, unveiled today by Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, calls for making the state a leading IT region in India by 2003.

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The policy has set a target of providing information access to all citizens at an affordable cost and achieving IT literacy in all the high schools and colleges by 2003 and aims to do so in all schools by 2008.

IT penetration would be achieved through aiming for an average of one Internet connection per 100 population and coverage of every habitat by 2003.

Digvijay Singh said the policy's thrust area is to demystify information technology. For this, IT would be used for various community services and devolution of power to the local bodies. For this, use of Hindi in IT will be encouraged.

The policy said computerisation in government departments and agencies must be the engine of growth for IT in the state in the initial period. The goal for computer penetration in the government, its organisations, including the panchayat raj institutions and other local self-government institutions has been kept at 1 per 10 employees by 2003.

This would be increased to 1 per 5 employees by 2005 and finally to 1 per 2 employees by 2008.

The policy is based on the recommendations submitted to the Madhya Pradesh government last month by its task force on information technology.

The state government in September last year constituted the 11-member body headed by noted scientist Yash Pal.

Achieving the target of 10 per cent of the national IT output by 2008 requires a direct private sector investment to the tune of Rs 45 billion.

The targeted share in national IT output would also be reflected in the aim for a share in the software exports in the region of Rs 28 billion by 2008.

The goal also requires that roughly a third of the 'state's domestic product' should be contributed by IT by 2008 against the present level of 0.2 per cent, assuming that SDP would grow at the current rate of 5 per cent by then.

As many as 60 per cent of the targeted level of employment, 400,000 to 1 million, would come from services, of which some 20 per cent would be low skilled data entry jobs and the balance from the growth of Internet related services.

Software development would give employment to another 20 per cent, trade and commerce would contribute 10 per cent and the rest of the employment opportunities would be generated by training related jobs.

To achieve these targets the policy moots setting up of a body promoted by the state government: the Madhya Pradesh Agency for Promotion of Information Technology or MAP IT.

The chief minister himself would head the agency's governing body.

The policy says the state government would move the central government to permit international private operators to create an international gateway hub at Bhopal and Indore each.

Venture capital availability would be given special focus by inviting financial institutions to be an integral part of the state's IT vision.

The MP State Industrial Development Corporation or MP Finance Corporation would work out a detailed proposal for dedicated venture capital fund for it.

Besides, MPSIDC and MPFC would formulate a special package for providing financial assistance to the IT industry.

The state would introduce a distinct head of account for IT related activities in the budget from this fiscal, the policy says.

UNI

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