Software exports from state grows by 15%

Software exports from Orissa have grown by 15 percent in 2010-11 compared to the previous year. The export by IT units, registered with the Software Technological Parks of India (STPI), stood at Rs 1,377 crore in the last fiscal, an increase of Rs 179 crore over Rs 1,198 crore clocked in 2009-2010.

With this, the cumulative figure of software exports from the state has reached Rs 7,400 crore.

The software export from Orissa has grown almost at the same rate as at the national level which is pegged at around 14 per cent, said Manas Ranjan Panda, Additional Director and Officer in-charge, STPI, Bhubaneswar.

Infosys is the biggest software exporter from the state accounting for almost 70 per cent of the total exports in 2010-11. It is followed by Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), which has set up its campus in the city a couple of years back.

Orissa ranks tenth in software exports among the states in the country. The state is in between Kerala (9th position) and Gujarat (11th position). Bangalore, the IT capital, continues to be the numero uno.

The software export from the state is expected to cross Rs 1,500 crore mark next year and Rs 2,000 crore in 2013-14.

As Infosys is expected to start operation of its second campus in the city at Info Valley by 2013-14 and TCS will start its 2nd phase operation in the same year, the software exports from the state is expected to touch Rs 2,000 crore by 2013-14, Panda said.

As the IT companies are looking at Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to keep their operation cost low and the state has adequate man power, Orissa is in an advantageous position, he added.