Kerala - Kochi   

IT sector investment in State will go up, says VS

KOCHI: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said that the government aims at enhancing direct investment in the information technology sector to Rs.10,000 crore.

Delivering the inaugural address at a function to lay the foundations of the second phase expansion of Infopark Kochi here on Saturday, Mr. Achuthanandan said that in place of an annual investment of Rs.20 to 30 crore in the IT sector made by the previous governments, the LDF government was making an annual direct investment of Rs.2,000 crore.

He said the government was developing 10 IT parks compared to the two when it came to power. Master plans for these parks had been completed and they had got Special Economic Zone status.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the second phase expansion of the Infopark on 160 acres at Puthencruz and Kunnathunadu panchayats would be completed by September 2011. It would create 50,000 job opportunities.

Despite the global economic slowdown, IT exports from the State had registered a growth of 40 per cent so far this financial year. Companies at the Infopark and Technopark had been given 50 per cent concession in rent to overcome the impact of the recession.

The Chief Minister said that with the completion of its third phase development on 92 acres by 2012, the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram would become one of the prominent IT parks in the world. Besides, steps for developing the Technocity, a comprehensive IT and IT-Enabled Services complex, on 507 acres adjoining the Technopark were fast progressing.

Later, Mr. Achuthanandan unveiled a miniature of the master plan of the second phase development of the Infopark.

Delivering the keynote address, Transport Minister Jose Thettayil said, if needed, low floor buses would be operated to the Infopark.

Fisheries Minister S. Sarma presided. K.P. Dhanapalan, MP, K. Babu, M.M. Monayee, M.J. Jacob, V.D. Satheeshan, A.M. Yousuf, MLAs, and district panchayat president P.S. Shyla, and members of the Puthencruz and Kunnathunadu grama panchayats were present.

IT Principal Secretary Ajay Kumar welcomed the gathering and Infopark CEO Siddhartha Bhattacharya proposed a vote of thanks.

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