Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
News >> Technology >>
Kerala's Technopark exports below par at $54 M
Friday, 02 July 2004, 19:30 IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's IT park Technopark hasn't done too well in the previous fiscal with total software exports accounting for just 
2.5 billion ($54.4 million), but companies are not disheartened.
Exports from the park, set up 12 years ago on the outskirts on this capital, could cross 10 billion in three years, said IVL India CEO Sunil Gupta.
Gupta, who heads IVL India, one of the first companies to open at Technopark, is also president of the G-Tech Group of Companies, the association of all 56 companies at the sprawling IT campus.
"There is nothing wrong in the formula of these companies because for any return of investment to take place it would take a few years. As things stand today, we all expect that in three years exports from the park campus here would cross 10 billion," he said.
Gupta said the software industry worldwide was undergoing a slump for the past three years but things were better now.
"This year Technopark would be known more worldwide because one of the biggest IT companies in Britain is to open shortly," he said, declining to give the name of the company.
Analysing the export figures of Technopark, R. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Animation, said the major reason for exports not picking up was the absence of any IT major.
"One cannot compare Technopark with other cities because we do not have the presence of any IT major here. Most of the companies here are big Kerala based IT companies. Now that Infosys has begun operations, we all hope that more IT majors will come," Jayakumar told IANS.
Another reason for the slow progress was the political atmosphere and the lack of infrastructure, he said.
"In the last two months we have had six shutdowns. An action plan is needed to see that this is declared a protected zone and for that there has to be a political consensus.
"Air connectivity is still to materialise and the lack of good hotels also makes a difference," Jayakumar said.
According to state IT Minister P.K. Kunjalikutty, 49.40 billion had been invested by various companies in Technopark.
"Today, the total built-up area is 770,000 square ft and all the companies together employ 7,000 people. In the last fiscal alone, 15 new companies opened up and 300 new jobs were created," said Kunjalikutty.
Source: IANS
2.5 billion ($54.4 million), but companies are not disheartened.
Exports from the park, set up 12 years ago on the outskirts on this capital, could cross 10 billion in three years, said IVL India CEO Sunil Gupta.
Gupta, who heads IVL India, one of the first companies to open at Technopark, is also president of the G-Tech Group of Companies, the association of all 56 companies at the sprawling IT campus.
"There is nothing wrong in the formula of these companies because for any return of investment to take place it would take a few years. As things stand today, we all expect that in three years exports from the park campus here would cross 10 billion," he said.
Gupta said the software industry worldwide was undergoing a slump for the past three years but things were better now.
"This year Technopark would be known more worldwide because one of the biggest IT companies in Britain is to open shortly," he said, declining to give the name of the company.
Analysing the export figures of Technopark, R. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Animation, said the major reason for exports not picking up was the absence of any IT major.
"One cannot compare Technopark with other cities because we do not have the presence of any IT major here. Most of the companies here are big Kerala based IT companies. Now that Infosys has begun operations, we all hope that more IT majors will come," Jayakumar told IANS.
Another reason for the slow progress was the political atmosphere and the lack of infrastructure, he said.
"In the last two months we have had six shutdowns. An action plan is needed to see that this is declared a protected zone and for that there has to be a political consensus.
"Air connectivity is still to materialise and the lack of good hotels also makes a difference," Jayakumar said.
According to state IT Minister P.K. Kunjalikutty, 49.40 billion had been invested by various companies in Technopark.
"Today, the total built-up area is 770,000 square ft and all the companies together employ 7,000 people. In the last fiscal alone, 15 new companies opened up and 300 new jobs were created," said Kunjalikutty.
Source: IANS