The News Minute| July 14, 2014| 8.30 pm ISTMicrosoft to expand operationsGlobal software giant Microsoft plans to expand its operations in Telangana, it was announced Monday. Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik met Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here and discussed the expansion plans.Pramanik briefed Rao of the activities of Microsoft in India and also discussed the tax policy being followed in the country. A statement from the chief minister's office said Pramanik announced that Microsoft will further expand its operations in Telangana.Telangana's Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao was also present at the meeting. The global software major has its India development centre here. Set up in 1998, it is the largest R&D centre of Microsoft outside its Redmond (US) facility.The meeting assumed significance as it came a day after reports that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be visiting Hyderabad next month.This will be the first visit of the 47-year-old Nadella to India after he took over as the CEO early this year. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he studied at Hyderabad Public School here. Son of retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer N. Yugandhar, he succeeded Steve Balmer as the CEO.Nadella will meet both Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu. Both the Telugu states are going all out to woo Microsoft CEO to propel IT growth. Naidu had invited him to his swearing-in ceremony last month.ITC to set up paper manufacturing unitITC, a multi-business conglomerate, plans to set up a paper manufacturing unit in Telangana with an investment of Rs.3,500 crore. ITC officials conveyed this to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao during a meeting here Monday, said a statement from the chief minister's office.KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, welcomed the decision of the group and said his government would provide adequate land for the plant.Hinduja chairman Ashok Hinduja also called on Rao. The chief minister urged him to ensure that Telangana get its share of electricity from Hinduja's plant. The newly-created Telangana state is seeking its share from power plants located in Andhra Pradesh including Visakhapatnam-based Hinduja plant.With IANS