Shri K. Taraka Rama Rao, IT Minister of the recently-created 29th state of India Telangana, is focussing on the development of Hyderabad by clearing the expansion plan of IT companies like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Cognizant and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
The Minister said that this will provide an opportunity of 40,000 direct jobs and also said encouraging the growth of the IT sector is the top priority of the government. By starting the projects - including ITIR (Information Technology Infrastructure Region), the government is looking at creating 15 lakh direct and 35 lakh indirect jobs in the IT sector over the next five years.
Shri Rao wants to concentrate on short-term plans to revive the brand equity of Hyderabad as the ITIR project is funded (Rs.1.32 lakh crore) by the Central Government and is a long-term project to be completed by 2024.
Google with a staff strength of 7,500 at Madhapur office wants to build its own township on a 20-acre plot in Kokapet so that the search engine company can bring its entire operations under one roof. It will also generate 5,000 additional jobs. Amazon is looking for expansion of its operations, including software development. It will require 2.6 million sq. ft. land in Nanakramguda. The expansion is expected to generate 5,000 jobs.
TCS has already got 70 acres of land at Adibatla and has even started construction there. It should create an additional 12,000 jobs. Facebook and Microsoft too have big plans for Hyderabad.Shri Rao prepared a 16-point agenda for the revival of the IT sector. The government plans to set up an IT governing body that will monitor various sector-related issues.
While the emphasis is on the IT industry clustered in and around Hyderabad, the government also wants to take the sector to two-tier and three-tier cities such as Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal. Special incentives and tax rebates have been planned for start-ups and investors in these corridors.
