Notices to IT SEZ allottees for not meeting conditions

Allotment will be cancelled, warns IT Minister Lokesh

Focus on innovation: IT Minister N. Lokesh speaking at the inaugural of an international workshop, in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Notices had been issued why the land allotment should not be cancelled to those who failed to start construction in the Madhurawada IT Special Economic Zone in the city, IT Minister Nara Lokesh said on Sunday.

After inaugurating a two-day international workshop on supporting innovative entrepreneurs and role of technology transfer organised by the Asia and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) in collaboration with the Indian Innovators’ Association (IIA) and the AP Innovation Society, he told reporters that they had classified the allottees of land in Hill No. 1, 2 and 3 of Rushikonda into three categories.

The two other categories belonged to those who had completed construction partially and the other who had built and their premises were partially occupied.

Mr. Lokesh said they would take firm action within three months. Wherever space was available, the government might explore taking it on rent to allot it by creating plug and play facilities. On the plea for de-notification by some of the IT companies in the SEZ, he said they had already referred the request to the Central government for clearance. Saying Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was keen on promoting ‘Make in Andhra Pradesh’ campaign in a big way, he said innovative entrepreneurs would be encouraged by the government in the best possible manner.

Expressing satisfaction over the exhibits displayed by the inventers from all over the world, he said use and throw brush and other toiletries developed by an Amaravati-based startup from fibre would be procured by the Endowments Department and the Tirupati-Tirumala Devasthanams.

‘Vizag a happening city’

In his inaugural address, Mr. Lokesh said use of technologies like Internet of Things was of utmost importance and explained to delegates from 30 countries that Visakhapatnam had turned into a happening city and had been ranked third cleanest among all the cities in India. He said Andhra Pradesh had also stood No. 1 along with Telangana in ease of doing business and gave details on incentives being doled out to encourage innovative entrepreneurs. Head of United Nations ESCAP-APCTT Michiko Enomoto said advances in science and technology should lead to sustainable development.

IIA president A.S. Rao said technology knew no boundaries and asked the foreign delegates to explore joint venture opportunities with their counterparts in India.

MP K. Haribabu, MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, Principal Secretary-IT K. Vijayanand, Special Chief Secretary and IT Advisor to Chief Minister J.A. Chowdary, AP Innovation Society CEO V. Valli Kumari and others were present.