Andhra STPI eyes alternate routes to growth

HYDERABAD, INDIA: STPI Hyderabad and the Andhra Pradesh IT department have jointly announced the performance of software companies in exports for the year 2007-`08.

Andhra Pradesh recorded a 41 per cent growth in IT exports during the financial year ended March 31, 2008, at Rs 26,122 crore, as compared with Rs 18,582 crore a year ago, contributing 15 per cent to the national exports of Rs 1,77,700 crore.

With a current growth rate of 32 per cent, STPI aims at achieving 40 per cent next year. 

About 176 companies including Honeywell Technology Solutions, SAP Labs and Hyundai Autonet India have entered STPI in AP.

“While Hyderabad continues to attract new talent and see expansion in the existing ones, STPI in Tier II cities are showing immense potential, an area that will continue to be the focus for STPI in AP,” said E Manoj Kumar, director, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Hyderabad.

Total exports from Vizag stood at Rs 372 crore from 80 units and Vijayawada, Tirupati and Kakinada contributed Rs 56 crore, Rs 2 crore and Rs 6 crore respectively.

The SME segment contributed about significantly and there will be many steps to facilitate initiatives for the group said Kumar. An Incubation center, which will be a mentoring centre for product companies, will come up in Hyderabad by the end of the year.

A pooled data center and co-location support for SME IT companies will also be created. NIXI, a national Internet exchange to ease internet traffic will be rolled out soon with the inclusion of more.

Employment generation by the STPI grew to add of 51,550 jobs more.

STPI Noida director P Venugopal assumed charge as the new director of STPI Hyderabad, taking over the responsibility from Manoj Kumar.

The result of STPI company performance is only partial to the AP picture, with about 10 fully and partially functioning SEZ about 10,000 more employment has been generated in AP said S K Joshi, principal secretary, IT, AP government.