Guwahati: The Assam government on Monday announced its new information technology (IT) policy that aims to draw more investments to the sector.

Unveiling the IT and Electronic Policy Assam 2017, here, Assam IT minister Keshab Mahanta hoped "this policy would be an enabler for economic development of the state".

"This policy provides better incentives than those offered by IT policies of other states. I am sure investors and entrepreneurs will find the policy attractive to invest in the state's IT sector," he said.

The new policy offers a rebate on the cost of allotted land, capital subsidy, registration and stamp duty concession, power tariff rebate, lease rental subsidy, SGST (state goods and services tax) reimbursement and assistance for filing patent applications in the field of ICT (information and communication technology). It also speaks of giving preference to ESDM (electronic system design and manufacturing) companies of the state in procurement of ESDM products by all state government departments, creating an innovation fund of Rs 3 crore per annum to foster research in ICT and electronics in institutions of higher learning in the state and setting up ESDM innovation centres to provide infrastructure to entrepreneurs and companies who want to create a working prototype from their product concept.

Additional chief secretary Ravi Capoor said incentives have been given to the ESDM sector to encourage design and manufacturing of electronic goods and items in the state.

The policy provides special incentives for AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics) sector, e-waste management and on employing specially abled persons in core sectors, besides non-fiscal benefits for ITes and Electronic/IT hardware manufacturing industries.

Assam had got its first IT policy in June 2000 and the second one in August 2009.

"Since the day of my assuming office as IT minister, I am trying to come up with a comprehensive IT and electronic policy to infuse a new lease of life into the IT industry of the state. Assam, being the gateway to South East Asian countries, has the potential to play an important role in the IT software and electronics design and manufacturing sectors as well as in ITes, and with this objective in mind the government is planning to set up an IT park and electronics manufacturing cluster here," Mahanta said.