Orissa targets $500-m software exports by 2012

BETTER CONNECTIVITY: The Orissa Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, flanked by the Nasscom President, Mr Kiran Karnik, and the Orissa Minister for IT & Energy, Mr S.N. Patro, at a conference in the Capital on Friday. — Ramesh Sharma


The Government of Orissa has set a target of $500 million in software exports by 2011-12, said the Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, here on Friday. After Infosys, Satyam and TCS, the State is expecting others such as Mind Tree, Genpact and Hexaware Technologies to be soon operational.
Speaking at a conference organised by Nasscom on `Investment opportunities in IT and ITES sectors in Orissa', the Chief Minister said, "The total investment proposal that we have received is almost Rs 4 lakh crore. We have established single window clearance. Four IT parks are coming up in the State, of which two are approved and being set up by Genpact and DLF.
"Another two are likely to get approval by the end of this month. The Government is giving physical and social infrastructure a top priority. We will invest Rs 25, 000 crore to improve the roads over the next five years. We will spend Rs 250 crore for upgradation of Bhubaneshwar airport."
He added that the State expected some of the top hospitals such as AIIMS, Apollo and major hotel chains to come up, this would also drive demand for IT specialists.
The Government will be setting up an Indian Institute of Information Technology, IIT Kharagpur campus at Bhubaneshwar and National Institute of Science Education and Research. Infosys has tied up with various engineering colleges to train students in a manner that would match corporate recruitment standards.