IT townships likely in MIDC area

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has proposed an information technology (IT) township in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area by amending the development control rules (DCR). The move aims to accelerate the flow of investment to industrially underdeveloped regions of the state, and create more employment opportunities for educated youth across sections and across regions.

An official from the urban development department (UDD) said, “Intending to retain Maharashtra’s leadership position in the IT sector within the country, the state approved its IT policy. Another aim is to leverage information technology as a tool for socio-economic development of the state. It is necessary to provide adequate infrastructure for entrepreneurs to have IT parks and hence, the amendments in the DCR are proposed.”

The proposed regulations will be applicable to land located in the MIDC industrial area acquired and developed under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Act, 1961. It will be developed as an integrated information technology township, the proposal said.

There are a few conditions to developing the IT township. According to the proposal, “The area under any integrated IT township shall not include notified forest, river, creek, tribal lands, irrigation projects, archeological places, national parks, gaothan areas or congested areas, defence areas, eco-sensitive zone, other environmentally-sensitive areas, quarry zone, special economic zone and designated airport areas.”

The integrated IT township should necessarily provide land for information technology industries, residential, commercial, educational, amenity spaces, health facilities, parks, gardens and playgrounds, public utilities, and transport and communication, as per the proposal.

The concessions include: automatic non-agriculture permissions; and any government land falling under the integrated IT township area to be leased out to developer at prevailing market rate on usual terms and conditions without any subsidy. Relaxation will be given from the Mumbai Tenancy and Agriculture Land Act. There will be no ceiling limit for holding agriculture land to be purchased by the owner/developer of the integrated IT township project, according to the proposal.