Kerala to invest Rs 2000 cr on IT infrastructure

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA: The Kerala government will pump in nearly Rs 2000 crore for development of infrastructure at the new technology parks that are coming up across the state in different locations. The investment is being made during 2009-10 and 2010-11 periods, said state Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today.

Inaugurating the India IT Summit that got underway at Kovalam, a stone’s throw away from the state capital, Achuthanandan said the investors should to look at Kerala as a potential area, as the technology parks in the state would offer capital investment opportunities to the tune of nearly US$5 billion.

He also said IT companies in Kerala have witnessed growth in IT exports which are nearly two and a half times the national average during the past three years.

Small scale IT companies, who face it tough to develop their own campuses in the state, would be provided with close to 2 million sq ft of built up Special economic Zone (SEZ) space by the government, he said. Achuthanandan said that the state government would consider favorably the needs of smaller IT firms who do not benefit from the SEZ scheme.

Dwelling upon the policies initiated by the Kerala government with regard to IT development, the Chief Minister added that the state is currently in the process of developing IT parks similar to the Technopark at as many as 10 locations in the state. These locations, which are being developed in the hub and spoke format, would ensure that companies operating from Kerala would get to enjoy a cost advantage in the longer term, he said.

The two-day India IT Summit got off to a colorful start at Kovalam today. Deliberations over the two days would focus on the development of global IT and India’s role in the changing scenario.

Speaking at the inaugural function, VK Mathews, chairman and managing director, IBS Group and also convenor of the CII Kerala State IT Panel for the year 2009-2010, listed out the growth of IT in India in comparison with the global scene. He said the changing phase of Indian IT dwells on roles such as low-cost to high-value facilitator, striving towards delivering value and effective use of human capital.

Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys Technologies, Neela Gangadharan, Chief Secretary, Kerala, Sanjay Mariwala, chairman, Kerala State Council, CII, were among those who spoke at the inauguration. Topics such as changing role of Indian IT in the global scene will be deliberated over the two days of the summit.