Telangana Unveils IoT & e-waste Management Policies

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday announced a policy on Internet of Things (IoT), aimed at positioning the state as a leader in the area, and another policy on e-waste management.

The two policies were launched by state IT Minister K T Rama Rao at an event jointly organised by the state government and industry body FICCI.

"...the IoT policy, brings out the state's intent to position itself as a global leader in the IoT space by setting up a comprehensive ecosystem for IoT, and how the government intends to use these technologies through multiple departments and agencies," Rao said in his address.

The policy speaks of the government's intent to develop infrastructure, promote startups, enable a skilled workforce through partnerships with renowned industry bodies, academic institutions, and leading tech firms, he said. The salient features of the policy include a plan to set up a customs facilitation cell so that importing and exporting goods becomes easier, he said.

In addition to providing necessary regulatory support to enterprises and organisations developing innovative smart technology solutions, the government plans to designate zones across five different cities in the state for bringing out solutions across various focus areas.

T-Works, a hardware prototyping centre being set up by the state government, includes facilities to prototype IoT technology, Rao said.

E-Waste generation in India is rising at an alarming annual rate of 25 percent, with Hyderabad currently recording 25,000 MT per annum the 6th largest generator in the country, he said.

"Through this (E-Waste Management) policy, our vision is to create an aware society which plays an active role in managing e-waste and assist the highly unsafe unorganised sector transition into the organised sector," he said. The two policies are in addition to the eight policies announced earlier in the Information and Communications Technology sector.

FICCI secretary general Sanjaya Baru, Naresh Shah, President - India R & D, Hewlett Packard, Nivruti Rai, Country Head, Intel India and BVR Mohan Reddy, Executive Chairman of Cyient were present on the occasion.