Telangana to allot land for Micromax R&D centre.

The Telangana government has cleared a proposal of mobile maker Micromax seeking land in Hyderabad to relocate the company’s research and development centre from Beijing, China.

The government has accorded permission to Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) to allot one acre in Gachibowli for the R&D centre. This is subject to conditions that includes payment of the land cost upfront and commencement of construction within six months. Also, the construction is to be completed within two years from the date of commencement of work.

The Cabinet sub-committee on mega projects had in September approved a request of Bhagawati Products Ltd., the corporate entity behind Micromax, for one acre. While instructing Principal Secretary Industries to discuss and finalise the land cost with the company, the committee said the cost should not be below Rs. 10 crore.

The cost of land would be Rs. 10.05 crore per acre as anchor R&D unit, a senior official said. Micromax, however, did not offer comments.

In April, at the inauguration of a Rs. 100 crore facility near Hyderabad that besides phones would over time make LED televisions and lights, co-founder Rajesh Agarwal had spoken of plans to shift the R&D facility from Beijing. Apart from creating job opportunities for Indian engineers, the relocation of the R&D centre would help develop local designing and product innovation skills.

THE HINDU