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HIGHLIGHTS OF IT POLICY
* Attract a minimum of 10 leading IT/ITES and 5 leading ESDM companies
* 100% remission of stamp duty on lease of land or office building
* 100% reimbursement of central sales tax, for a period of five years
* 100% entry tax on waiver for five years on raw materials,
* Those who employ locals will get reimbursement of 10% of salary paid
* 15% reimbursement of salary of a local if the unit is set up by a local
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PANAJI: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar launched the Goa IT investment policy 2015-20, a policy document to drive the growth of the IT, ITES and ESDM sector offering incentives including tax sops, cheap lease in IT clusters and fast track clearances by the Investment Promotion Board.
“This is an important step for the State. With the finalization of the policy, the State can now move forward with its plans to achieve its targets of an investment of ₹25,000 crore and 50,000 jobs,” Parsekar said.
He said that a consultant to advise the State on its IT policy would be appointed in the next two to three days after which plans for the Chimbel and Tuem IT parks would be finalised.
The immediate aims of the policy are to attract a minimum of 10 leading IT/ITES and five leading ESDM companies to the state as anchor units and to achieve a direct or indirect employment of close to 15,000 professionals.
Highlights of the policy include 100% remission of stamp duty on lease of land or office building, 100% reimbursement of central sales tax, for a period of five years from the date of commencement of operations or till the date Goods and Services Tax comes into force, 100% entry tax on waiver for five years on raw materials, FAR at 200%, land on long lease at a subsidized rate, electricity duty waiver and reimbursement up to 30% of the one time capital cost.
Those who employ locals will get reimbursement of 10% of salary paid to the local employees for units set up by other companies and 15% reimbursement of salary of a local if the unit is set up by a local.
The government has also promised to set up an incubation centre to house startup companies giving free lease and a one time capital of ₹-2lakh besides free internet up to ₹1-lakh for a period of five years.
Units already established will also receive sops like that of 100% remission of stamp duty paid to the government towards lease or purchase made and 50% concession to already established industries wanting to expand or to shift to a notified area.
As part of the IT Anywhere policy, the startups and small companies that have no fixed offices or are located at home are also eligible to remission of stamp duty, reimbursement of internet bandwidth usage charges maximum of up to ₹1-lakh for three years. The government is now expected to draw up the respective schemes based on the policy and made budgetary provisions for them.
