The Hindu Business Line : IT quality talent pool, an advantage

AN EDGE OVER OTHERS: One of the concerns for companies is the quality of manpower in tier-II, tier-III cities. This is one area where Tiruchi, with about 40 arts, science, engineering and management colleges located in and around the city, expects to score over its competition in wooing IT companies to set up shop.

With metros facing space scarcity and escalating real estate prices, information technology companies have been looking at setting up offices in tier-II and tier-III cities. However, one of the concerns for companies is the quality of manpower in these cities.

This is one area where Tiruchi expects to score over its competition Coimbatore and Madurai in wooing IT companies to set up shop. A city with many education institutions over 100 years old, Tiruchi has produced quality talent including the likes of scientist Sir C.V. Raman and President Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Today, there are about 40 arts, science, commerce, engineering and management colleges located in and around the city. Some well known colleges include National Institute of Technology (formerly known as Regional Engineering College), St. Joseph's College and Bharathidasan Institute of Management.

About 6,000 graduates pass out each year from these colleges and are recruited by large IT companies mainly in Chennai and Bangalore, according to Mr K. Premanathan, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tiruchi Zone.

Talent pool

This talent pool is probably what drew some small IT/ITES companies to set up shop in the city some years ago. Besides two large companies, GFT Technologies and DMS Soft, there are about 30 small IT/ITES companies around Tiruchi that mainly work on jobs/processes outsourced by companies in Chennai. This includes a host of Web design, hosting and development companies such as Harsh Infotech, Bi Soft Solutions, Genisoft Technologies and Adalma.

GFT Technologies is a German company that has been in Tiruchi for the last five years and is involved in Business/IT consulting and application development, systems integration and application management, outsourcing and design. DSM Soft provides Engineering Data Services (MCAD/CAM, 2D drafting, training) and Geo-Spatial Data Services (Photogrammetric mapping, GIS, Data output and Reprographics).

Big cos showing interest

With the CII and Tiruchi Corporation making efforts to popularise the city among investors, large companies such as L&T Infotech, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Tata Consultancy Services seem to be showing interest in setting up offices here, sources say.

The State Government, on its part, is making land available for companies. About 170 acres have been bought by the State at Navalpattu, near Tiruchi airport. Of this, some portion has already been allotted to private entrepreneurs, said Mr Premanathan. "Private companies have also been scouting for lands along the Tiruchi-Chennai highway, beyond Samayapuram," he said.

IT park

ELCOT, in a joint effort with the Tiruchi Corporation is planning to set up an IT park on the lines of the TIDEL Park. in Chennai. About 50 acres near Panchapur (on the Tiruchi-Madurai highway) have been identified for this purpose, he said. However, formalities such as the revenue sharing model between the two parties have not been decided yet, he added.

Well-connected

The State has also embarked on an infrastructure development plan for the city. Tiruchi is well connected through highways to other major cities and industrial centres in the State including Chennai, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Karur, Namakkal, Madurai and Coimbatore. The State is planning to widen these highway roads into four-lane roads, said Mr Premanathan.

The Tiruchi International Airport is also being modernised.

Tiruchi is also being promoted as a potential electronics hub due to the presence of about 300 small and medium-scale engineering industries in the region. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd and Dalmia Cements are other companies that have manufacturing units in Tiruchi.

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