The electronics and IT department has selected research agency AC Nielsen ORG Marg for a study on brand building initiative to promote India as a preferred investment destination for the sector, sources said.

AC Nielsen ORG Marg will be assigned Communications Need Assessment Study, sources at Department of Electronics and Information Technology (Deity) said. The department had received Expression of Interest from 11 firms but issued request for proposal to nine agencies, including AC Nielsen.

"AC Nielsen combined score in the RFP was highest and its financial proposal was lowest," a Deity source said. AC Nielsen OM will complete the study for total cost of around Rs 71 lakh, the source said.

This project was floated by the department, then the Department of Information Technology, in October 2011. It aims to promote India as a preferred destination for global as well as domestic investments in the electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) sector.

Deity name has been also given to the department recently to reflect government's intention of promoting electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

The government has identified growth of electronics hardware manufacturing sector as a thrust area. It sees huge business opportunity in the electronics sector as demand for electronics hardware in the country is projected to increase from USD 45 billion in 2009 to USD 400 billion by 2020.