AP aims at Rs 70,000 cr IT exports by 2015

Andhra Pradesh is targeting to achieve an export turnover of Rs 70,000 crore and create direct IT employment for 125,000 people by 2015, according to state information and technology and communications (IT&C) principal secretary K Ratna Prabha.

“The department is making efforts to develop the approved IT special economic zones (SEZs) so that in the next five years, 100 million sft of office space of international standards is in place and an IT employment of more than a million is generated,” Prabha said.

The IT sector has recorded exponential growth rate in the state. While there were 194 IT companies in 1999, the same grew to 1,206 in 2009, recording an increase of 6.5 times, she said. She was making a presentation on the future growth plans to be adopted by the IT&C department in promotion of the sector in the state at a meeting reviewed by chief minister K Rosiah here on Thursday.

“Besides, the state is planning to attract new IT multinationals that do not have presence in India and Hyderabad, and IT majors that have presence in India but not in Hyderabad. Motivating the IT majors present in Hyderabad to grow in size and operations, moving to Tier-II locations like Warangal, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Tirupati, and promoting new verticals like electronic hardware, animation and gaming, engineering services through incentives, and encouraging startups and SMEs through special felicitations and setting up of incubation centres, too are on top of the agenda,” she added.

Expressing satisfaction over the growth of the IT sector in the state, Rosaiah instructed the department to make concerted efforts to reach the third position in IT performance in the country.

“Construction of campuses by the IT companies, which have been allotted land, should be closely monitored for expeditious completion and creation of additional employment,” the chief minister said in a press release.

IT exports turnover was Rs 284 crore in 1999, which touched Rs 32,509 in 2009, an increase of 110 times. The IT industry contributes 49 per cent to the total exports from all the sectors in the state. The contribution of Andhra Pradesh to national revenues is 15 per cent and the state currently stands at the fourth position in IT performance in the country.