Green Sops

The Maharashtra government proposed its new IT policy for the years spanning
2009-2014 early this year to boost the IT industry in the state. This new IT
policy has widened its scope across the IT sector by encompassing segments like
hardware, animation, gaming, and visual effects along with IT and BPO services.

Governments Encouragement

While the new policy is aimed at providing an impetus to the states economy
and enhance the growth of the IT industry with more jobs and businesses, the
state government also wants to emphasize on something else. And that is the use
of green technology which is environment-friendly and has low impact on nature.

The government is giving a serious thought of conferring businesses with
awards, which are using or have adopted eco-friendly or green technological
initiatives. These may be initiatives that range from anything like a green
building, or 100% water recycling within the premises.

"The state is encouraging businesses and industries to use green technology
which is safe for the nature and humans, and also have less impact on the
environment. For those enterprises or businesses which have taken such green
technology initiatives, the government is planning to present them with green IT
awards," says Malini Shankar, development commissioner, industries, Government
of Maharashtra.

"The state IT department along with various group of industries will meet on
January 6, next year to prepare a draft of the proposal and will also release a
white paper with a handbook, and a website for providing information," she adds.

Not So Wasted

Moreover, under the new IT policy, the state government has decided to
procure IT devices and equipments from those vendors that have the recycling
facility. That might have a very positive impact on the e-waste front, a problem
that our nation is gradually waking up to.

Maharashtra is the second biggest contributor of e-waste to the country,
first being the capital city itself.

With the Government of Maharashtra waking up to tackle its e-waste, and even
NDMC tying up with recycling agencies for Delhis e-waste heap, seems like the
other states have finally some examples to follow.

In the Maharashtra governments Green IT awards, there is also some talks of
rewarding the vendors that have a sound take back and recycling policy in place.

India on its Way to Green

With the governments of big states sitting up and taking notice of the need
for recognizing and encouraging green ventures, analysts are reaffirming the
idea of India becoming a regional hub for green technology.

In fact, this idea of setting up regional centers was an idea mooted by India
during an international meet in New Delhi this October. The Indian officials
then gave the idea that the country could host one of the hubs, which are meant
for spreading the use of green technologies quickly among the developing
countries.

If this idea is to take shape, then we might as well be the green face of
tomorrow. That shall certainly be a good face to boast about.

Pankaj Maru/CMN

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