STPI to set up plug-and-play facility in Vizag

The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is planning to set up a plug-and-play facility in Visakhapatnam to help new and small information technology companies. STPI currently operates an incubation facility at Duvvada near the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone is located.

“The Duvvada facility has 150 seats and is occupied most of time. Hence, STPI is planning to set up a bigger facility in Vizag,” said MP Dubay, joint director, STPI.

He said representatives of IT companies visit Vizag every week to enquire about the facilities that the city offers. “If they start their activities through incubation centres they would get to know the city better and later would come forward to set up their own facility,” he said.

At present, more than hundred small and medium IT companies operate from the city and another 20 to 30 are expected to commence operations during this fiscal. In 2009-10, software exports from Vizag stood at about Rs 800 crore. This grew over 30 per cent in 2010-11. He said the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation had called for tenders for the proposed IT tower at Madurawada, where the SEZ is located.

According to B Murali, president of Visakha Information Technology Association, IT and ITeS industy has not shown impressive growth in this area. The industry needs plug-and-play facilities to attract more players, he said.