Keeping Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concept of ‘Digital India’ in mind, the Gujarat Government on Sunday announced Information Technology (IT) and e-Governance policies from 2014 to 2019. The State Government plans to generate over 10 lakh job opportunities as well as encourage digital literacy in Gujarat.
The Anandiben Government announced these policies four days after it rolled out Electronics Policy for the same period. All the three policies aim at attracting maximum investments during the seventh edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit (VGGIS) to be held during January next year. As Modi will inaugurate VGGIS-2015, the State Government wants to make it the biggest event in terms of wooing the investors.
According to the Gujarat Government’s spokesperson and senior Minister Nitin Patel, by the year 2020 his Government intend to generate 10 lakh jobs and turnover of $15 billions in Information Technology sector. Incentives including 100 per cent relief in stamp duty and registration fee to all IT units in first transaction of sell, lease and transfer and 25 per cent subsidy to new units for lease/rental in IT parks.
IT policy also offers 100 per cent relief for women employees in Employment Provident Fund (EPF), 75per cent for other employees as well as -30 per cent subsidy in bandwidth charges and simplified labour laws.
Government to Government (G2G) and Government to Citizen (G2C) are the main features of the e-Governance policy. It aimed at inclusive growth based on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and institutionalisation of digital Gujarat as main goal. Under the policy the State Government will also activate e-Gujarat portal and enhance coverage of mobile governance as well as encourage digital literacy.
This policy offers connectivity to grassroots level people and e-connecting all government department offices, societies, boards, corporations as well as local bodies. The government is also targeting to increase coverage of cloud computing & virtualisation. It also gives thrust on social media and encourages research.