Soon, proposal in state Cabinet to welcome Infosys

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee-government will soon ratify the maiden entry of IT major Infosys in Bengal, state Information Technology minister Bratya Basu said on Thursday.

"A note in this regard is being prepared and will be placed before the Cabinet for approval," Basu said on the sidelines of 16th ICT East organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Sources in the IT department said that the matter is expected to be endorsed at the Cabinet meeting scheduled on Friday.

The minister made it clear that Infosys has agreed to the terms and conditions laid down by the government. The company would be given incentives as per the promise of the state government but there will be no additional concessions that will be on offer.

Questioned about the kind of work that the company will do here, Basu said: " We want to break the ice first. The company has sent us a letter expressing its desire to come to Bengal. It is yet to inform us about the nature of work it will start with." However, sources in the IT department said that they are hoping that the IT major will start with back office jobs. The official added that the registration of the land given to the company is "under process".

"Infosys has agreed to start construction of its development centre in Kolkata West Bengal, which will have a capacity to seat around 1000 people," the IT firm had said in a statement adding that it will submit the plan for the proposed centre to the Bengal government as soon as the land registration process is complete.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on had Tuesday said IT major Infosys will invest Rs 100 crore in the state and set up a 50-acre campus in Rajarhat area with an employment potential of 1,000.

Infosys has long been demanding Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status to mark its maiden entry in the state.

The company was given a 50-acre land at Rajarhat by the previous Left Front government in 2010. However, it was going slow on the project as the Trinamool Congress government under Mamata Banerjee had clarified that the company will not get the SEZ status, as promised to them by the previous government.

The firm had paid Rs 75 crore to acquire the land but didn't start construction.