Infrastructure status will mean a large amount of capital inflow intoIT-related services such as distance working, call centres and telemedicinein which India offered a great opportunity, Mahajan said while speaking atthe ISP 2000 Summit here on Thursday.

The minister also hinted that a number of IT-related tax issues were likelyto settled in the coming Budget. "We will soon convey to the FM the need forhaving a transparent, liberal and stable tax regime for IT industry, keepingin view the WTO provisions as well as industry's long-term potential," hesaid.

Rationalisation of duties on components and a spurt in hardware exportscould be expected after the budget, he added. If accorded the infrastructurestatus, IT sector would be eligible to avail a seven-year tax holiday,besides other tax sops.

This could pave the way for many duty-related recommendations made in thesecond report of the national IT task force being included in the budget.Talking about the pending recommendations in the first report, Mahajan said90 per cent of the 108 points had already been implemented, while three orfour demands had been left as these were non-implementable.

Referring to Singapore prime minister's visit to India, Mahajan said that hewill visit Singapore in March and significant initiatives in IT arena couldbe expected from the trip. "Singapore's help can open up the entire ASEANregion market for Indian infotech sector," said the minister.

Rueing the limited powers given to his newly-created ministry, Mahajan said,``MIT does not control the real IT. It neither has telecom, nor space or I&Bunder it. I am less powerful than even the MTNL and VSNL chairmen.''

In coalition politics, one has to make compromises, he added, hinting atrivalry with telecom minister Ram Vilas Paswan over regulatory functions ofinternet among other things continuing to be with DoT.

"The internet as a tool for communication must reach the common man and thiscan only be possible when it becomes affordable. We will try and make theaccess of the Net through cable television cheaper as there are 10 millioncable connections int he country," said Mahajan.