Update on IT plans for Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Infosys, IT, IT, Back office, BPO, ITIR, Khordha, Mindtree, Satyam, TCS, Telegraph, WIPRO July 27th. 2010, 1:08amFor the last couple of years the IT industry growth in Bhubaneswar had slowed down. With the economic mood of the country back in the positive direction projects put in the backburner are now getting to the forefront. Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.
… The proposed IT-SEZ will come up near the Infocity-II at Godakashipur, 15 km from the city. The project that included an integrated township would require 613 acres of land, IT minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi said.
“While the proposed IT-SEZ would be set up in an area of 320 acres of land, an integrated township would be developed in the remaining 180 acres of the total area. The rest would be kept in store to meet the future needs of the department," Majhi said.
As per the proposed plan, schools, colleges, hospitals, hotels and amusement parks would be developed. …
… the proposed SEZ would provide jobs to more than one lakh IT professionals. Another four lakh people would gain suitable employment opportunities in the project, which was scheduled to start its operation during 2011-2012 financial year.
“The Orissa Computer Application Centre (OCAC) will set up a seven-storied incubation tower. All small and medium scale entrepreneurs, engaged in the IT business, would be provided space at the centre at an affordable price. The centre would come near Acharya Bihar,’’ he said.
Construction of the incubation centre has already started.
So far, two IT parks are operational in the city. The government has already signed MoUs with DLF and Raheja groups to set up two more parks in the city. The fifth park will be set up by the government’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDCO).
Raheja group is planning to set up the IT park with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore in an area of 100 acres. The group has opted for a site near the Infocity of Bhubaneswar.
Real estate giant DLF is setting up another park with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore. The foundation stone has already been laid for the DLF Infopark, which would come up in phases on 25 acres of land and is expected to generate about 40,000 direct and indirect employment.
The minister claimed that the IT firms operating from the state had exported software worth Rs 1,198 crore during 2009-10 as against Rs 1,171 crore in 2008-2009.
Officials from the IT department said it was one of the few cities in the country that boasts of the presence of the big four of Indian software exports. While Infosys and Satyam have been in the city for quite some time, TCS has already recruited about 500 people after starting its operation in 2007.
Wipro, too, has started building its campus.
Nearly 12,000 people are directly engaged in the various IT industries.
… Moreover, along with the SEZ and IT parks, the state government is also planning to set up an Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in the capital city. It would come up near Jatni, about 25 km from here. If things go right, it can attract an investment of Rs 15,000 crore, official sources said.
This is all good. The government should start steering away some of the IT firms to Berhampur, Rourkela, Balasore, and Sambalpur.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:13 am
As far as IT is concerned, honestly speaking Odisha in general and Bhubaneswar specifically much behind the other states and cities of its standard. Looking at the no of qualified graduate engineers passing out from this state and the potential that we have we’re much behind. Even other tier-2 cities like Chandigarh, Vizag, Mangalore etc are much ahead of us. For this, one reason could be the lack of international airport which various IT companies has pointed out time and again. But, the larger problem is the lack of political and public initiative in this regard and of course our sluggish state administration. Bhubaneswar started housing IT companies even before Kolkota. But now even they are much ahead of us. I hope ODISHA politics and administration wake up and do something good in this regard.
Thanks
Ranjan
July 27th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Bhubaneshwar can learn from Punetech and create a similar platform to catalyse the development of IT in the state. If appropriate linkages are created, Bhubaneshwar can be an attractive place for professionals hailing from Bihar,Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh as the industry in these states is not likely to develop any time soon.
Bhubaneshar can also learn from Jaipur’s example.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Thanks. We are in the process of establishing a TiE Chapter in Bhubaneswar.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:13 am
Lets hope Infocity-II and the IT parks(DLF,Raheja,OCAC) must be completed as per the plan. We can’t afford any more delays on the same. Also our people must ensure the timely completion of the expansion of Bhubnaeswar airport and the fleet of air traffic to the other cities must be increased. As written in earlier comments, there must be very good communication with places like Raipur, Ranchi, Patna with Bhubaneswar. BDA and BMC must work in tandem with other responsible authorities to ensure City’s insfrastruture is coping with the growth.
January 7th, 2011 at 1:26 am
I believe Bhubaneswar airport should be expended to start international services to destinations like Singapore,Bangkok,Sharjah,Dubai,Bahrain,Kualalumpur and in second phase to Frankfurt and beyond. Shahjahan,Dubai
October 6th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
So finally when bhubaneshwar will get the much awaited IT parks and when ITIR region will come to live…what is the progress currently and why our state govt are not giving much emphasis on this part like Karnataka,Andhra,Maha,Tamilnadu and Gujurat????