As per the prevailing RBI Master Circular No. RBI/2013-14/14 dated 1st July 2013, RBI Circular No.80 dated 15th February 2012 and RBI Circular No.43 dated 13th September 2013, any company that does IT/ITES exports through Data communication links needs to submit the Softex Form for certification. For getting the Softex certification by STPI (which is the Designated Authority), the companies have to become STP members by either registering under the STP scheme or as NON-STP unit with STPI. Nevertheless, the companies registered under the STP scheme will have other benefits apart from getting their Software Exports certified.

Any company/partnership firm/proprietorship which is into the development of Export-oriented Computer Software/IT Enabled Services can register itself as NON-STP unit under STPI to avail Softex certification. In order to become a NON-STP unit under STPI, the company has to get register itself with STPI on submission of application form along with the supporting documents, to the jurisdictional Director, STPI along with applicable processing fee of Rs.1000 in the form of demand draft in favour of the Director STPI.

A letter of permission for Non-STP registration is issued for a period of 3 years. During the last three months before the expiry of LOP, NON-STP registered unit should approach Director STPI for the renewal of LOP. There shall be no charges for renewal of LOP.

Non-STP units should register each of their export contracts before the submission of Softex against that contract. The unit also needs to submit its projected imports during the next financial year as well as applicable STPI service charges.

The company registered under STPI as NON-STP unit will be issued a Registration Certificate with a validity of 3 years by the respective jurisdictional STPI Director. Renewal of registration will have to be applied three months before the expiry of the registration.

Once NON-STP units get registered with STPI, they will be entitled to submission of Softex for certification as per prevailing guidelines of RBI. However, Non-STP units should also register each of their export contracts before the submission of Softex against that contract.

(a) To promote the development and export of software and software services including Information Technology (I.T.) Enabled Services/ Bio-IT.

(b) To provide statutory and other promotional services to the exporters by implementing Software Technology Park/ Electronics and Hardware Technology Park Schemes and other such schemes which may be formulated and entrusted by the Government from time to time.

(c) To provide data communication services including value-added services to IT / IT Enabled Services related industries.

(d) To promote micro, small and medium entrepreneurs by creating conducive environment for entrepreneurship in the field of IT / IT Enabled Services.

1. Covering Letter containing all the following
2. A demand draft for Rs.2500 + GST in the name of “STPI – Hyderabad
3. Project Report
4. Projected Balance Sheet for next 5 yrs
5. Projected Cash flow Statement for next 5 yrs
6. MOA & AOA
7. Board Resolution for authorizing the person for signing the documents
8. List of Board of Directors.
9. Proof of separate account exclusively for STP unit i.e. Banker’s Certificate
10. Copy of PAN No. of the unit.
11. Copies of PAN Card of all the Directors
12. Copy of Passport of all the Directors
13. Copy of IEC Code
14. Profile of all the Director’s
15. Copy of Lease deed/sale deed of Proposed Location of STP Unit
16. Detail of Export Order in Hand/Pipeline

Service charges for Non-STP units will be determined on the basis of the value of the contracts registered. The Service charges slabs for different export values are as mentioned below:

The India BPO Promotion Scheme (IBPS), envisaged under Digital India Programme, seeks to incentivize the establishment of 48,300 seats in respect of BPO/ITES operations across the country.
It is distributed among each State in proportion of the State’s population with an outlay of Rs. 493 Crore. This would help in capacity building in smaller cities in terms of infra & manpower and would become the basis for the next wave of IT/ITES led growth.
Salient Features:

1. Financial Support: Up to 50% of the expenditure incurred on BPO/ITES operations towards capital expenditure (CAPEX) and/or operational expenditure (OPEX) on admissible items, subject to an upper ceiling of Rs. 1 Lakh/Seat.
2. Special incentives toward employment of women & specially enabled persons.
3. Incentive for generating employment beyond target & wider dispersal within State including rural areas.
4. Encouragement for local entrepreneurs.
5. Special consideration for Hilly states of HP, J&K, and UK.

This scheme has the potential to create employment opportunities of around 1.5 lakh direct jobs considering three-shift operations. It may also create a good number of indirect jobs.