M'rashtra SW exports zoom 41% higher

PUNE: Although it still lags behind Bangalore in software exports, Maharashtra has taken the second position in the country with its software exports touching the Rs 12,235 crore mark for 2004-05.

This marks a 41 percent increase in the software exports, as compared to the figure of Rs 8,683 crore in 2003-04. Tamil Nadu, crossed the 10,000 mark earning Rs 10,703 crore over the Rs 7,621.50 crore in fiscal 2004. Andhra Pradesh observed an all-time high growth of 64.5 percent earning Rs 8,145 crore.

STPI director for Mumbai and Pune P Venugopal said that the State had done well for itself recording 107 new registrations in Mumbai and another 109 registrations in Pune during the year.

The software exports in Mumbai crossed the Rs 6,288 crore mark in 2004-05 while Pune crossed the $ one billion software exports figure this year, recording exports worth Rs 5,960 crore.

Maharashtra has three more STPI Parks - Aurangabad, Nashik and Nagpur. While figures were not available for Aurangabad, Nashik recorded software exports worth Rs 9.4 crore in 2004-05 as compared to Rs 4.74 crore during 2003-04. Nagpur also did well for itself recording exports of Rs 35 crore in 2004-05 as compared to Rs 28.88 crore in 2003-04.

According to Venugopal, Pune reports at least 10 enquiries every couple of days. Some of the companies that are setting up base here include Cymbal Information Services, T-Systems India (a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom), Avaya India, Syntel International, John Deere, Dana India Technical Center, Amdocs among others.

The US farm equipment major Deere & Company is expanding its operations in Pune, with the opening of a business processes and engineering center later this year. Construction is underway at Magarpatta city in Pune. Amdocs, provider of software and services to the telecom sector, is also expanding rapidly. According to STPI sources, the company, which already has a development center in the city, plans to open its business processes unit here too.

According to Venugopal, the new investments in the State would total Rs 7,568 crore this year. In Pune, over 36 foreign equity based companies are setting up base. Around 15 new private IT Parks have been registered in Pune while seven new IT parks are coming up in Pune under STPI.