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Bengal

Will help IT firms set up new units in state: Bratya Basu

The state government is ready to offer all possible help to IT companies interested in setting up their units in West Bengal, said the state IT minister, Bratya Basu. On Thursday, Congress MLA Asit Mitra raised a question on offering SEZs to Wipro and Infosys, the IT giants who had shown interest in setting up units in the state.

In reply, Basu said that instead of discussing on the issue of one particular IT company, a holistic approach in a “macro level” to bring in a policy would be more beneficial. At the same time it will be helpful for not only one but for many companies.

“I welcome everyone to come and invest in the state and to utilise the facility that the state government is providing to set up IT firms. If any particular company is having its own policy, then it is a different matter altogether. But the state government is ready to extend all help to the IT companies to invest here. We are ready for dialogues with the companies,” he said adding that many companies are successfully functioning in the state and two IT majors have come to the state after 2011 along with 30 other companies in the sector.

In reply to a question of Mitra, on generation of jobs in the IT sector in the past few years and investment that have flown in this sector, Basu said that 17,000 jobs were generated in the IT sector in the past two years and at present, 11 IT hubs are operating while 7 more are under construction. 
Basu also said that the investment in IT sector in the state in 2013-14 fiscal was Rs 1,265 crore, in 2014-15 fiscal is Rs 739.80 crores and in 2015-16 fiscal it is 2,219.75 crores. The figure suggests the growth in the IT industry in West Bengal.

He also said that despite there were changes in the minister of the department, the work for development of the sector had continued in equal pace and it will continue to thrive.
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