No plan to surrender West Bengal land, open to substitute model: S Gopalakrishnan, Infosys

KOLKATA: Infosys has no immediate plans to surrender the 50-acre land allotted to them for the proposed software development centre. The executive co-chairman of the IT giant S Gopalakrishnan on Monday said it is still keen to set up its campus in West Bengal despite state government's 'no special economic zone ( SEZ) policy'.

"There are no plans to give up the land at this point," Mr Gopalakrishnan said on Monday.

Although Infosys had paid 75 crore for a 50-acre plot in Rajarhat, it is yet to commence work there. Although the land was allotted during the Left regime, it was handed over to the IT firm during Mamata Banerjee's regime. Infosys was supposed to invest 500 crore in this project and employ about 12,000 people. The project hit a roadblock as the ruling Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal is not in favour of creating SEZs.

Infosys co-chairman reiterated that the company is open to alternative options with associated SEZ-like benefits for its maiden campus in Bengal. "There could be other options as well. There could be alternatives to SEZ. If equal benefits are given without calling it SEZ, it is fine with us," he added.

Incidentally, West Bengal government is already working on alternative benefits like software technology park benefits, VAT benefit and others for the project. There are also proposals to allot land to Infosys in a notified existing SEZ which does not require state government approval.

When contacted, state industries & commerce minister Partha Chatterjee said he is eager to meet Infosys boss and will discuss about the possibilities. "We have already extended our support and will provide further help if required," he added.

Besides Infosys, Wipro is also stuck on the similar issue for its second unit also at Rajarhat.

"SEZs give certain benefits to companies in terms of tax credits. Any company will like to get those benefits, especially if the competitors are getting those benefits. It is a competitive environment, one should under-stand that," Mr Gopalakrishnan said.

During the Left Front's regime in West Bengal, the country's largest soft-ware exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) had acquired 40 acres in Rajarhat and received SEZ status for the campus.