The Hindu Business Line : Cognizant, Patni Computer among IT firms to set up campuses in SEZs

COGNIZANT Technology Solutions Ltd (CTS), Patni Computer, and Sonata Software are among the 12 companies that would sign up with the Andhra Pradesh (AP) Government to set up their respective campuses in the Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam special economic zones (SEZs) created for IT companies.

Addressing a select gathering here on Tuesday, the State Secretary for Information Technology and Communication, Ms Ratna Prabha, said that the IT SEZs are coming up at Poppalaguda near Hyderabad and Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam.

While Cbay Systems, Patni Computer, CTS, Sonata Software, DQ Entertainment, and Connexant centres will be located in the software layout near Hyderabad, Zen Technologies Ltd will come up in the Hardware Park, and IIC Systems, IIC Technologies, World Infotech, Metamedia Software Solutions and Infotech Enterprises Ltd will be allotted land in Visakhapatnam.

These companies have projected employment opportunities to about 24,000 people at an initial investment outlay of Rs 457 crore.

AP's flagship IT event: Providing insight into the forthcoming IT event, Gitex, being co-hosted by the Dubai World Trade Centre and the AP Information Technology and Communication Department, Ms Ratna Prabha, said that the event provides an ideal platform for national and international companies exploring business opportunities in India.

Being hosted at the Hitex International Exhibition Centre, between January 11 and 13, it will also have a trade fair, Computer Shopper, a job fair, a conference on hardware and ITeS, and a Nasscom animation event.

The Computer Shopper seeks to attract people to stalls hosted by IBM, HP, Compaq, Samsung, and Sony, among others, and includes representation from the Twin Cities Computer Dealers Association.

The Government has accorded a benefit of refund of Value Added Tax at 4 per cent.

A job fair hosted for the ICT industry, where 21 companies including CTS, Accenture and HSBC are expected to participate, has received about 30,000 registrations; of them, 10,000 are from experienced professionals.

It is expected that the number is likely to swell past the 40,000-mark.