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Raja Simhan T.E.

Of the new units 71 were small and medium size units. Twenty were subsidiaries of US-based firms. Three have collaboration with French firms, while three others are subsidiaries of Singapore-based firms.

Chennai , April 3

MORE than 110 new software units have brought in foreign direct investment (FDI) worth about Rs 60 crore to Tamil Nadu during 2003-04. This is a significant increase over previous year's figure of 75 new units and FDI worth Rs 35 crore.

The new units have projected their manpower requirement to be over 30,000 in the next five years. This is on a conservative note, and the number could be much higher, said a source.

Out of the new units, 71 were small and medium size units that have invested Rs 50 lakh and below. Around 20 units were wholly owned subsidiaries of US-based firms. Three units have collaboration with French firms, while three others are subsidiaries of Singapore-based firms, said a source.

The number of new units in information technology-enabled services, including data entry and processing more than doubled to 68 during 2003-04. Eleven new business processing outsourcing (BPO) units came up during 2003-04 in the State compared to seven the previous year. Some of the new BPO units include HCL Technologies (unit 2), Mahima Technology, AVT Infotech Private Ltd and The Kadri Mills (CBE) Ltd (Software Division), the source said. The new units added over ten lakh sq. ft of space in the State last year, the source added.

Meanwhile, Chennai continued to be an attractive destination for setting up new software units in the State with 87 firms setting up their presence during 2003-04.

In the previous year 68 software new units came up in the city, and in 2001-02 the figure was 99.

In Coimbatore, four software firms started operations in 2003-04, while Tiruppur and Sivakasi attracted one firm each.

Two firms came up in Pondicherry, the source said.

The year 2003-04 saw a strong revival in the software sector in the State after a lull the previous year. Interestingly, 2001-02 saw 109 new software units setting up their operations in the State, the source said.

During 2002-03, software exports from the State were Rs 6,315 crore.

More Stories on : Software | Foreign Direct Investment | Tamil Nadu

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