Maharashtra to get new IT policy to attract firms to tier-2 and 3 cities

The Maharashtra government is drafting a new Information Technology policy which will encourage the technology firms for innovation to accelerate tech adoption and the promotion of the IT industry in the state.

The policy, which is being drafted in consultation with NASSCOM and IT industry associations, will focus on the steps, incentives, tax rebates to attract IT, ITeS and IT-enabled companies to smaller cities like Nagpur, Latur, Nashik and Aurangabad.

While elaborating the policy, Minister of State for IT Satej Patil said in DigiTech Conclave 21 in Mumbai, that the government has been tapping the possibilities for using technology to manage administrative activities including Covid-19 pandemic related management and flood mitigation activities.

He said that the government was also taking steps to ensure that IT plays an important role in the daily lives of the common man by using e-governance initiatives like e-office, Maharashtra blockchain sandbox, among others. Patil also revealed that the government was chalking out policies for other IT related wings like including data centres, fintech and drones.

Throwing more light on the proposed IT policy of the government, Patil said, “Since our existing IT policy is expiring, we are in the process of launching the new ‘IT Policy’. Along with it, we are also formulating our own ‘Data Centre Policy’. Both the policies aim to create the right ecosystem for technology companies.

There will be incentives for innovations that accelerate technology adoption and the promotion of the IT industry in the state. The policies are being formulated in consultation with industry bodies like NASSCOM and IT industry associations to attract IT, ITeS and IT-enabled companies in the tier-2 and 3 cities in the state."

Patil added that as of now, IT companies are mostly focusing on Mumbai and Pune for setting up their units, but the upcoming IT policy will provide the right kind of infrastructure, incentive and skill set to establish IT companies in cities like Nagpur, Latur, Nashik and Aurangabad among others. “By setting up their units in these new locations, they would help avoid the saturation witnessed in Mumbai, Thane and Pune,” he said.

The minister said that the Maharashtra government is going to launch a fintech policy to support the sector with a vision to convert Mumbai into a global fintech hub. “The IT department is studying the best practices in the fintech sector with a focus on government and regulatory support to formulate the fintech policy. The policy will be launched soon with an aim to create the right kind of IT infrastructure for fintech companies and startups in Mumbai,” he said.

As the central government has launched its guidelines for the use of drones, the state government is planning to unveil its ‘Drone Policy’ to use drones in various sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and power, as well as monitoring floods, waterlogging, etc.

During the pandemic, drone technology came as big support in monitoring quarantine, hotspots and in the inspection of Covid-19 guidelines.