Telangana aims higher Growth Trajectory in IT

Telangana recognizes the multiple benefits form Information Technology. It aims to become the hub for electronics manufacturing like Taiwan andSouth Korea. Increase in IT/ITES sector base contributes to the overall GSDP and also create thousands of new jobs. The government will now effectively deliver its services to the common man through IT thereby brining transparency and accountability in governance.

While Hyderabad has remained a prominent hub for the software industry and exporting around $10 billion of IT software and employing around four lakh people, it plans to improve upon the current performance and become the number one IT destination in the country. Within four years, it aims to double IT exports, to do that it is focusing on new growth sectors like electronics manufacturing, aviation and automobiles, while expanding the IT-ITES software industry through proactive and business friendly engagements.

To translate its vision into reality and make the graduates from the State employable TASK (Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge) has been launched. The programme has already skilled around 15,000 students this year and placed 2000 of them with the industry. It has a mandate to create a workforce of 100,000 in 5 years.

The state government is planning to set up new IT clusters in Hyderabad. Under the ITIR initiative, it is developing more IT clusters along the Outer Ring Road and that will ensure that IT industry is spread across the city and not concentrated in just one part.

In addition, after successful T-Hub, it is planning to build T-Hub Phase 2, which will be nearly 5 times bigger than the current one. The State is also planning for Gaming Tower to promote animation industry, and SME Tower to encourage small and medium companies. It has Separate Park for promotion of aviation industry. For promotion of electronics industry, the State is developing two Electronic Manufacturing Clusters close to the airport.

The T-Hub largest incubation centre, which was launched in Hyderabad aims to become the startup capital of India. To achieve this, the state government plays the role of a facilitator to sustain the entire startup ecosystem. T-Hub is at the center of the ecosystem of angel investors, VCs, mentors, industry, and even an extension arm in the Silicon Valley. The new Innovation Policy that Telangana is developing will further boost the startup environment in the state.

To make the Telangana the State hub for electronics manufacturing, the State recently unveiled new Industrial Policy, TS-ipass that mandates 15-days clearances for major projects enabling the State for promotion of electronics large scale. The policy streamlines every process of the industry to make Telangana the most preferred destination of India for electronics manufacturing to make the State as number one in ‘ease of doing business’.

Recently the Government of India created a differential duty structure for mobile and set-top boxes. This will incentive manufacturers to set up their plants in India. In this connection, Telangana has recently announced one of the most aggressive mobile manufacturing policies in the country with state subsidies and tax incentives. The State’s VAT reimbursement policy is unique in the entire country. It is almost like an exemption for the manufacturer. It has generated the lot of interest among manufacturers like Micromax and Celkon have setup their manufacturing units in the state and few more projects are in the pipeline.

Telangana is currently offering nearly 500 citizen electronic services on e-Seva and Mee-Seva, with around seventy thousand to one lakh transactions per day. After the launch of Mee Seva 2.0 next year, with a vision of offering digital services to the citizens on an anytime, anywhere basis and expects an increase in the number of citizens who engage through digital means. People can use a mobile or computer to access a range of cloud-based services. With one-stop kiosks in every village, the State will be able to reach almost the entire population.

The State has embarked on an ambitious programme to provide high-speed broadband connectivity through fiber optic network to every home in Telangana in next three years. Piggybacking on Mission Bhagrita, which shall give tap water to one crore homes in Telangana, the State is planning to laying optic fiber in the same trench. In about three years, the State could become one of the most well connected states in India.

It is generally understood that broadband penetration has a direct impact on the GDP of the state. This network will change the economy of the state. Entrepreneurs will come up with business idea to utilize this network, possibly setting up call centers in villages. This will allow the state to provide education and healthcare services at the doorstep of the common man.

It is also planning to provide free WiFi facility at many more public areas in Hyderabad by making it as a world-class city. Right now, it is providing this service around the Necklace Road and Tank Bund as free for the first half hour and after that user has to pay, but soon the service will be available at all the major business centers, tourist centers, shopping places, airport, railway station, bus stations, and other places where large number of people go regularly. This ensures that people are able to access internet, avail citizen services and other smart services.

G.Rajendera Kumar