Union Cabinet likely to give its nod for ITIR.

There seems to be some movement in the proposal with regard to sanction of long-awaited Information Technology Investment Region for Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam, the largest city in the new State.

The sanction of ITIR for Hyderabad when the bifurcation agitation was at its peak by the Union Cabinet had sparked off similar demand by many including Non-Political JAC of Seemandhra which insisted on separate ITIR for Visakhapatnam.

Due to procedural wrangles, the proposal submitted by the Chandrababu Naidu government was in the cold storage in the Communication Ministry in New Delhi. “Due to our persuasion now the proposal is all set to be placed before the Union Cabinet,” AP Special Secretary, IT G.S. Phani Kumar said.

The detailed project report for ITIR was made by Ernst & Young. Incidentally, the proposal for ITIR was first submitted by the Congress government by then IT Minister Ponnalla Lakshmaiah, which was followed by the TDP government. At the time of debate over bifurcation in Parliament, the UPA-II Government had also promised granting ITIR for Visakhapatnam.

As per the DPR, 12,000 acres of processing and non-processing area was identified by the APIIC and the Revenue Department with a short-fall of around 2,000 acres. The project, if sanctioned, will see an investment of around Rs.50,000 to Rs.60,000 crore in Visakhapatnam and its neighbourhood.

Visakhapatnam is the only city in AP with a base for IT. The turnover of IT industries is estimated to be Rs.1800 crore to Rs.2,000 crore during 2014-15. If ITIR gets Centre’s nod, an investment of Rs. 5,000 crore is likely to be sanctioned for improving the required ecosystem. “The industry will be benefited if the government is serious about the proposal,” Rushikonda IT Park Association vice-president Naresh Kumar said.

THE HINDU