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Coimbatore jewel in Tamil Nadu IT story
By agencies
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Monday, 11 September 2006, 19:30 IST
CHENNAI: In a separate slew of events spread over the past two days, the IT Industry seems to have its focus firmly fixed on the state of Tamil Nadu. A series on media reports have come out with the following revelations:
Connect 2006; the Confederation of Indian Industry's premier event on information and communication technology has clearly brought out the fact. With M. Karunanidhi, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, handing over the documents for land in Coimbatore to Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro on September 11, a new chapter seems to have begun in the southern state.
"I am happy that today we are launching Coimbatore as a tier-II city [for IT industry], by allotting land to Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro Limited," Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi declared while inaugurating the event.
The Tamil Nadu story was confirmed by none other than S Ramadorai, CEO and managing director of Tata Consultancy Services, who, speaking at the event in Chennai said, "TCS's growth trajectory has run parallel to that of Tamil Nadu's economic development in many ways; we have played a developmental role in the state and have done a number of pioneering activities. He also added that Tamil Nadu could create over 400,000 jobs in IT by 2011.
The advantages Tamil Nadu has over other states, according to Ramadorai are a highly diversified economy, with many large homegrown, foreign-owned companies and a vibrant SME sector.
"The state is well positioned to capitalize on its inherent strengths combined with the opportunity brought on by a surging economy, vibrant capital markets and the general bullishness on India," he said. For this very reason, Tata Consultancy Services has chose to pump in around $340 million in the state over the next two-three years for expansion, according to media reports.
The company is aiming to set up its operations in Coimbatore by setting up its development center with a seating capacity for 2,000 people on a 5-acre campus. The facility would be ready in all respects in the next 18 months.
"Coimbatore will soon emerge as a Tier-1 city for IT in one year," predicted C Umashankar, managing director, Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT). "The demand for built up space is so high -- ten times higher- in Coimbatore that we will have to direct companies to other Tier-2 cities.
TCS has also proposed to invest close to $272 million to build its largest facility in Siruseri near Chennai, which would have a seating capacity for over 23,000 people. Presently, TCS has over 13,000 professionals based in the state.
Currently, Tamil Nadu has a share of 14 percent of the IT-ITES industry in the country.
The chief minister stated that it is time "to rededicate ourselves with renewed vigor ... we would strive to provide the best possible environment, in which you could grow and prosper." The suggestions, arising out of the two-day Connect conference, for shaping the Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy would be given "utmost consideration," he added.