Andhra Government to build massive IT towers in four major cities.

The state cabinet decided on Tuesday to build massive IT towers creating 10 lakh square feet of space in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Anantapur. The towers will house IT innovation centres.

According to highly placed sources, the towers will be constructed in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode under the supervision of the Investment and Infrastructure Department. The time frame for completion of these towers will be less than a year.

The state government would provide the minimum rental guarantee to the infrastructure provider. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, also cleared a proposal to change the role of AP Technology Services (APTS) to make it a procurement agency with powers to purchase equipment worth more than `50 lakh. As in other states, APTS will promote the software sector and act as a partner in joint venture companies and startups to attract investment to the state. It will also be involved in the procurement of CCTV cameras, laptops, tablets, biometric devices on an annuity basis.

The meeting also decided to amend the state’s Electronic Policy to incorporate the Internet of Things. It was decided to provide a 25 pc investment subsidy for IT products and a 30 pc subsidy for product manufacture by MSMEs owned by scheduled caste and scheduled tribe entrepreneurs. In another decision, the state cabinet, which met two days ahead of the monsoon session of the Assembly, ratified the GST Bill and also decided to table amendments to three more bills.

The GST Bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament and now state legislative assemblies have to give their approval to it.

The cabinet decided to discuss the same during the monsoon session. According to sources, the cabinet decided to amend the Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University (ANGRAU) Act 1963 and table the amendment bill in the Assembly session.

It is meant to facilitate the startup of private agriculture colleges affiliated to ANGRAU. It was also decided to amend the Registration Act, 1908, to bring in provisions to prevent double registration in land dealings. The AP VAT Act 2005 will also be amended so as to facilitate reduction in VAT for hotels.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS