State aims to set up 10 cable landing stations along coastline

Kolkata: The state government has set a target of setting up 10 cable landing stations in Bengal along the coastline by 2025 and is eyeing Rs 10,000 crore investment to support this growth.

The initiative is part of the ‘West Bengal Internet Cable Landing Station Policy 2023’ launched by the Information Technology and Electronics (IT&E) department. The objective is to build a world-class cable landing ecosystem in Bengal by attracting foreign and domestic investments and mentoring MSMEs and start-ups to leverage the new ecosystem.

A cable landing station is already coming up at Digha in East Midnapore.

The eastern region faces connectivity challenges and Bengal’s strategic location makes it ideal for an internet cable landing station (ICLS) as it can reduce connectivity costs, attracting investments in IT, ITeS and BPO industries.

The policy states that the state will provide a 100 per cent exemption in stamp duty and registration fees for any transaction related to ICLS in the state. The state will also waive government electricity duty for five years from the date of start of commercial operations. The labour cess will also be waived.

The state government shall treat the electricity used by ICLS as ‘industrial’ irrespective of their establishment and location. Dual power grid networks for uninterrupted supply of electricity will be established and round-the-clock water supply to the ICLSs will

be provided.

Laying of underground optical fibre networks, to and from the ICLSs, will be provided with the ‘Right of Way’ as per West Bengal Broadband Policy 2020.

The policy advocates the constitution of an advisory group under the chairmanship of the minister in charge of the IT & E department involving experts and industry representatives to attract new ICLS (S) and encourage MSMEs and startups to grow around the ecosystem.