PUDUCHERRY: Puducherry IT Minister P Rajavelu on Thursday sought the Centre’s technical and financial assistance to upgrade the Puducherry State Data Centre and strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure.
Addressing the meeting of Information Technology Ministers of States and Union Territories chaired by Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rajavelu said Puducherry needed centre's support to build a technology-driven ecosystem and create employment opportunities for its young workforce.
He also sought the Centre’s support in linking Puducherry with appropriate central schemes, investment programmes and technology initiatives so that industries setting up operations in the UT could access opportunities available elsewhere in the country.
He particularly urged the Centre to consider Puducherry as a priority destination for emerging technology projects, including semiconductor, electronics and AI investments, and sought support for companies looking to establish new manufacturing or corporate facilities in the UT.
Puducherry had also adopted the Telecom Right of Way Rules and integrated its departments with the Department of Telecommunications’ online portal to expedite approvals, he said.
Highlighting the progress made in digital connectivity, Rajavelu said fibre connectivity under the revised BharatNet programme had reached all village panchayats, besides rural schools, health centres and government offices.
He said Puducherry was ready to pilot a ‘Samruddh Gram Digital’ or ‘Phygital Village’ model using digital services in healthcare, education and agriculture.
Briefly outlining the UT’s digital economy initiatives, Rajavelu said that the Atal Incubation Centre at Puducherry Technological University had mentored more than 60 start-ups.
The Minister said two new SEZs — an IT/ITeS SEZ and a multi-sector SEZ at Karasur — were expected to attract about Rs 2,000 crore in investment and generate 8,500 jobs.