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The IT industry, which has been rattled by the Telangana shut-offs in the last two years, has got some solace from the Andhra Pradesh Government. The Andhra Pradesh Government has reached out to the captains of the IT industry in the State to assure them that all would be well and that they could hope for a better business environment.
The State would soon begin to promote ‘Brand Hyderabad' globally to invite more investments.
The IT Minister, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, and Mr Sanjay Jaju, Secretary (IT), have reached out to the top representatives of IT firms and convened a meeting where they presented what was on the platter for them.
While admitting that fears and doubts of IT industry were genuine, the Minister said the State had brought the IT sector under the Essential Services purview. “We are developing the Eastern part of the city as a new and alternative site for the IT industry. It is cheaper to go there and convenient to go to the airport when you use the eight-land Outer Ring Road,” Mr Sanjay Jaju told the meeting. The IT industry was mostly concentrated in the Southern and Western parts of the city in Gachibowli and Madhapur areas. The Government was now focussing on the Uppal side where top names such as Genpact and Infosys had already set up base.
Mr Jaju said the global slowdown might not have much impact on the IT industry. “Last 2-3 years have been turbulent globally. What shape the events would take, we are not aware of,” he said.
Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah said Andhra Pradesh would become the first State to get funds from the Centre to develop IT Investment Region. “We are going to get Rs 2,385 crore to develop infrastructure connecting the IT centres of Uppal, Gachibowli and Madhapur covering 55,000 acres of area. We have made our presentation to 15-16 Ministries and Planning Commission and got the clearance. One more meeting is due before we get the funds,” he said.
Mr Jaju said the State aimed to become the number three IT destinations in the country, overtaking Chennai. “The gap is not insurmountable,” he said.
Asked if the target was overambitious, he said the State could lease out 40 lakh square feet of additional commercial space in 2010 which was considered the most turbulent year.
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