By Imran Khan
Patna, Feb 23 (IANS): After announcing an IT city, the Bihar government now plans to turn the state into a multi-media hub.

"We have decided to take the help of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology and (Americam company) Legend 3D to develop Bihar into a multi-media hub in the next three years," Atul Sinha, managing director of the Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (BELTRON), told IANS.

"If we manage to go ahead with the project, it will give a unique identity to Bihar in the IT sector not only in the country but also in the world," Sinha said, pointing out that there is no multi-media hub in the country where students can be provided advanced courses in different spheres of IT.

"Initially, the state government will provide subsidy for these students," he said.

Earlier this week, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said his government would set up an IT city in Nalanda district that will help create job opportunities. "We will provide 200 acres of land near the (upcoming) International Nalanda University for setting up an IT city, the first such in Bihar," Nitish Kumar said.

On the lines of Hyderabad's Software Technology Park and Bangalore's International Tech Park, Patna is all set to get an IT Park this year itself, an official said.

Till last year, the government was keen on setting up Bihar's first IT park in Bihata, near Patna, but the location was later shifted to Rajgir in Nalanda. Nalanda, about 100 km from here, is the chief minister's home district.