Northeast's fourth software technology park in Mizoram

Aizawl, May 6 (IANS) The central government, in association with the Mizoram government, will set up a software technology park in Mizoram to boost IT in northeast India and software exports, a minister said here Sunday.

"Officials of the union ministry of information technology and the Mizoram government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here Saturday to set up the software technology park," state Information and Communication Technology Minister Zodintluanga told reporters.

The minister, who was present in the MoU-signing ceremony, said that on the request of the union ministry, the state government has provided five acres of land in the Mizoram University campus to set up the park.

The land was given to the Software Technological Park of India (STPI) authority on a 66-year lease.

"Until the permanent infrastructure was created at Mizoram University campus, the STP would temporarily function at a government building at Thuampui, near Aizawl," an official said.

The proposed STP in Aizawl would be the fourth centre in northeast India after the Guwahati, Imphal and Gangtok STPs.

STPI director general Omkar Rai and other officials of the organisation are now on a three day visit to the northeastern state to finalise the modalities for setting up of the STP.

STP is being set up in the country by the STPI authority since 1991 to encourage, promote and boost software exports from India besides expansion of the information technology infrastructure and software industry.