Quiet performance of STPI ignored : Prasad

Electronics and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Saturday that the "quiet performance" of Software Technology Parks of Inida, which played an important role in promotion of IT exports of the country has been ignored.

Indian IT companies had made Fortune 500 US companies globally competitive, he said laying the foundation stone of the STPI incubation centre here.

IT exports from STPI increased from Rs 52 crore in 1992-93 to Rs 3.50 lakh crore in 2016-17, he said.

"The quiet performance of the STPIs has been ignored. They played an important role in promoting India as a major IT destination with support from the Centre and the states", the union minister said.

The Indian IT industry also have gender justice and one-third of the work force was women.

STPI director general Omkar Rai said that the incubation centre would be built on two lakh square feet space involving a cost of Rs 100 crore.

He said 21 centres of excellence would be created across India in areas like AI, block chain and others.

"We urge the West Bengal government to come forward and take initiative to build such a centre here", he said.

IT exports from West Bengal through STPI was Rs 7000 crore employing 35,000 people, officials said.