The Information Technology department and the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up a Software Technology Park at Deoghar on Saturday.
The State Government has been trying for STPI units in Deoghar and Bokaro since 2012. The MoU was signed by principal secretary, IT department, NN Sinha and Director General STPI Omkar Rai. Chief Secretary RS Sharma, CMD Railtel Corporation RK Bahuguna and CCl CMD Gopal Singh were also present on the occasion. The MoU was signed during a conference —’Empowering Citizen by e-Governance’ — organised by the IT department to highlight the Government’s initiatives towards e-governance in the State.
Notably, the IT department is said to have earmarked land for the STPI at Deoghar. The project is likely to take more than one year to complete, confided an official of the department, and the I-T department will soon appoint an architect to prepare Detailed Project Report. The STPI at Deoghar is likely to provide employment opportunity to youths especially of Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, Jamtara and Sahebganj.
“We have earmarked three acres of land for the facility that will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1crore. However, this is the first step in the direction and the proposal has to obtain many clearances,” said Deputy Director and e-Governance Nodal Officer, IT, S B Sahu.
An STPI provides a host of exemptions to IT companies that use the facility as a development hub and export software developed at the facility.
An STPI at Deoghar is likely to come as a boon for the Santhal Pargana which has been deprived of benefits of one of the fast emerging sector- the IT sector- with immense potential in terms of providing employment opportunities and revenue generation. Incidentally, the then Chief Minister Arjun Munda had shot off the first letter in the series of communications to the Union Information Technology ministry seeking a software technology park for Deoghar.
Earlier, Chief Minister Hemant Soren elicited the incumbent Government’s commitment to put up an IT enabled delivery system in place transcending geographical boundaries to achieve the goal of welfare State. The Government has rolled out a series of delivery mechanism such as Aadhar enabled payment system for MNREGA wages besides putting up in place Aadhar based public distribution system.
“IT is extremely important for the development of the State in this era. We are trying to link rural and urban areas with a network,” maintained Soren. Significantly, riding the IT wave the Government has introduced online mutation of lands, e-Rahat for emergency services, e-Nagrik, e-District, e-Procurement besides a host Direct Benefit Transfer projects for delivery of social benefits.
Incidentally, the CM raised the issue of lands and maintaining records of lands acquired by Coal India and requested companies to maintain a proper land record to address disputes arising because of lands acquired for mining purposes. Soren emphasized on greater coordination between Government and mining companies. “The issue of land gets embroiled in several controversies so I would request Coal India to maintain a proper land record and coordinate with the Government,” pointed out Soren.