Bhubaneswar, July 10: The state is ready for its first information technology investment region (ITIR) complete with IT park, SEZ and electronic sector in it over a proposed area of 40sqkm.

The Centre asked the Orissa government to send a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed ITIR at the earliest, following which the release of funds for infrastructure development would be done, said state IT secretary P.K. Mohapatra.

The IT task force that met here today decided to entrust the preparation of the DPR to a joint venture company, floated by ILFS and state-owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation.

The company has been asked to prepare the DPR within three months submit it to the Centre as soon as it’s ready.

In April 2008, the cabinet committee on economic affairs had cleared a policy to set up ITIRs over a minimum area of 40sqkm each. The Centre last month confirmed the identification of Bhubaneswar as one of the sites for the proposed ITIRs, he said.

The ITIRs have been conceptualised as magnets for investment creating employment opportunities and growth in the area. They are expected to reduce the pressure on existing urban centres by enabling growth of new townships and dispersal of industry. The regions would be a combination of IT, ITES and electronics hardware manufacturing units, public utilities, residential area, social infrastructure and administrative services.

Every state government is supposed to ensure provision of physical infrastructure such as power, water, road, transportation, sewerage and effluent treatment facilities, the Centre is supposed to facilitate development of national highways, airport and railway links for ITIRs.

Investor-friendly features in the policies of leading IT states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh would be incorporated in the new information-communication-technology (ICT) policy.

The state already has plans to set up an IT SEZ (Infocity-II) over 500 acres near Janla on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The Infocity-II would include an IT Park and a knowledge centre.