Chandigarh, Aug 19 - The Punjab government is offering various sops to information technology (IT) companies operating in the state, including a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply, in order to boost the sector, a government official said here Wednesday.

'No economy can grow only on the shoulders of agriculture and we have to give a boost to the IT and service sector. We have to increase software exports from Punjab,' S.S. Channy, principal secretary of industries and commerce, told reporters.

He added that the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) 'will offer an assortment of benefits like release of new connections, extension of load, exemptions from peak load hours restrictions and no power cuts to the IT companies establishing their base here'.