ALAPPUZHA: The State Government has decided to set up rural IT Parks named Techno-Lodge Scheme in all the grama panchayats in the state. The scheme will be advantageous to the IT companies which are looking for reducing operational costs. Two grama panchayats -Perinad grama panchayat and Kadakkal grama panchayat- in Kollam district have been selected by the government for setting up the rural IT parks.
Top IT officials told Express on Thursday that the ‘Techno-Lodge’ scheme envisages developing a small building with a seating capacity of around 25 employees for IT, ITES and BPO operations in rural areas.
The main objective of this scheme is to encourage ITES and BPO companies to operate from the low cost rural centres and thereby to create employment opportunities in rural areas. The ‘Techno-Lodge’ centres will be set up in old unused government buildings, buildings belonging to government organisations, panchayats or other local bodies.
Preference will be given to panchayats which provide their existing buildings or community halls free of cost for the scheme.
Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL) will be the main implementing agency for this project. The agencies like Technopark, Infopark, Cyberpark or other IT-related non-profit organisations will also empower to operate the scheme on behalf of the KSITIL.
The implementing agency will renovate the selected buildings for the project. Necessary power back up and broadband facility will be provided by the implementing agency and they will also market these Techno- Lodge centres to IT, ITES and BPO companies.
“Some IT companies have already expressed their readiness to move to rural areas to reduce their operational costs. Tecno- lodges can be setup in small towns and rural panchayats at buildings with a built up area of about 10000 sq. ft. or land measuring at least one acre. The Scheme will provide employment to rural youth, taking IT to smaller towns and cities and making use of utilised Government or local body buildings," the officials said.
The land and the buildings will be jointly identified by the Revenue and the IT Departments.
The value of land and buildings will be treated as share capital contribution of Government in the equity of the KSITI Limited and the value of land and building will be fixed by the Government in consultation with the District Collector concerned.
