The Maharashtra Cabinet on Friday gave approval to set up a greenfield integrated data center park, which is expected to attract an investment of Rs 1.60 lakh crore.
According to a statement issued by the state government, Maharashtra is the first state in the country to come up with a special green integrated data park policy, which will attract international and multinational companies working in the data center sector. As a result, a significant investment of USD 20 billion (Rs. 1.60 lakh crore) will help the country maintain its top position in the data center sector.
“Since the Green Integrated Data Center Park is an emerging project, it will directly provide employment to nearly 500 highly skilled professionals and indirectly provide employment to nearly 3,000 people with advanced technology degrees,” said an official familiar with the matter.
“With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the need for data storage and processing is increasing in many ways. But at the same time, global warming is a major problem due to excessive energy consumption by data centers. As India takes steps to become a country with zero carbon footprint by 2070, it envisages a growing need for green technologies in the future. The integrated data center parks will attract international companies and help create a favorable ecosystem in India,” the official said.
The Information Technology Support Services Policy 2023 has been partially amended to allow for additional incentives for green integrated information center parks in the province, subject to the terms and conditions of the Cabinet proposal, as well as common agreements and incentives.
“Additional incentives have been approved…Eligibility criteria for the said projects three integrated green data center parks should be proposed with a minimum capacity of 500 MW and a fixed investment of Rs. 30,000 crores. The incentive will be given for 20 years for the said projects.
Eligible new integrated data center parks will be given incentives only after meeting the criteria of fixed investment and investment of at least Rs 10,000 million along with their single location investment. This program will be completed automatically after the establishment of three integrated green data center projects in the state..,” read a statement issued by the state government.
The Maharashtra Cabinet on Friday also gave approval to implement the multi-project promotion policy by revising the plans for the mega project based on modern technology. As part of it, subsidy for industrialization will be given to mega projects with an investment worth Rs 10,000 crores set up anywhere in the state. Apart from sector-wise classification, they will be given industrial subsidy of 100 per cent of the fixed capital investment and 11 per cent of the investment of Rs 20,000 crore in the existing benefit pool scheme.
“So far, five projects have been approved and five projects are under consideration before the Cabinet sub-committee. Through these projects, Rs 1.79 lakh crore will be invested in the government and 60,000 jobs will be created. Some amendments and new provisions have been made in this plan to make decisions quickly, and a sub-committee of the Cabinet under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister has been authorized to take decisions,” said the official.
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