Ropar, a town in Punjab is set to be the next knowledge hub of the state, with the setting up of an 800-acre TechKnow Park. Situated about 40kms from upcoming international airport at Chandigarh-Mohali, the TechKnow Park has been planned around the IIT Ropar campus and intends to have IT, ITeS, biotech, research, educational institutes and hardware manufacturing units.
“Punjab is today the best investment destination for any company and even startups with most conducive enabling support system and excellent connectivity and infrastructure,” remarked Rakesh Verma, MD, Punjab Infotech.
Under the new IT policy of Punjab, the knowledge industry players will enjoy 100 percent exemption and reimbursement from stamp duty and registration fee, exemption from zoning restrictions, conversion charges etc., five years exemption from electricity duty and no statutory power cuts, Verma informed.
The IT units are also being allowed the gross permissible floor area ratio (FAR) of 300 percent in Punjab, he said. The IIT Ropar in the TechKnow Park is plotted as the nucleus of innovation with a projected strength of 400 PhDs, 500 post-graduates, and 2000 under-graduates by the year 2015, who would squarely meet the requirement of the industry, as well as help the academia to have productive interface with the industry.
Greater Mohali and its peripheral region is emerging as a unique IT/ Knowledge hub in the region promoting significant interaction within industry and academia. A number of prominent institutes like IIT, Panjab University, PEC University of Technology, Rayat and Bahra Institute of Engineering and Technology in addition to the proposed development of Knowledge City comprising of prominent institutes such as ISB, Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, IISER, NABI etc. would catapult the talent pool scenario of the region to a higher level.