Tenders to this effect would soon be floated for laying of optical fibre cable with one GB connectivity through broad band in the state as a part of the government effort to make Goa an 'IT hub', apart from the existing brand image of international tourism destination.
At a function to release 'Goa's IT Policy-2005 'at Porvorim, State IT Minister Dayanand Narvekar said the efforts would initially be made to provide jobs to thousands of undergraduates, including high school drop-outs.
Narvekar said the government had decided to allocate one lakh square metres of prime land at Dona Paula to the IT leader Wipro after the Cabinet approval shortly, so that the company could start IT-enabled services like the call centres offering scores of jobs to the youth.
He said the government would act as a ''facilitator'' and offer land at market price, while the industry had to develop infrastructure for creating employment.
The government would also offer a rebate of 25 per cent on water for five years, power consumption for two years, and setting of in-house backup power plant.
The Minister said apart from exempting the units from various labour laws including factories and the minimum wages act, grants would be provided to units for undertaking research activity.
Narvekar said the units offering employment to local youth would get Rs 15,000 per annum as incentives per employee for two years, the maximum limit they could avail is of Rs 75 lakh.
They would also reimburse stamp duty on land or building purchased in the notified IT Park or industrial estates operated by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation.
This apart, the government would give special treatment to those units which invest more than Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) for creating employment for more than 1000 in the IT and 1500 in the IT-enabled services sectors, the Minister said.
