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IT firms queue to Goa, new hi-tech centre inagurated Our Regional Bureau / Mumbai/ Panaji February 24, 2006 Goa has now joined the information technology (IT) arena with a vengeance as many leading IT companies have decided to set up their base in the state. IT giants such as Infosys, Microsoft, Gold Shield, ICICI OneSource, 3G (Hutch), GE, Convergies and many more will be opening their call centres in the state by mid-2007, according to Dayanand Narvekar, IT minister of the state. The stateopened a new hi-tech IT centre, Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat, situated at Dona Paula. The facility was inaugurated by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. "Goa has created the infrastructure to become a hub for investment," she said. IT companies intending to start projects at the IT Habitat would be charged Rs 2,500 per sq mt in addition to Rs 1,200-1,500 per sq mt as infrastructure development charge. Said Narvekar, "We are looking at IT companies related to business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and back-office operations, and so far 10 leading IT firms have approached us to set up their operations here." "Wipro is set to start its research and development (R&D) centre and may commence its call centre operations in the second phase of their expansion in the state," he clarified. An area measuring one lakh sq mt has been earmarked for Wipro in the Goa University campus located at Dona Paula, adjacent to the IT Habitat, he said. "It was Azim Premji, Wipro chairman, who expressed interest to start operations in Goa, and this has come as a major boost for us," he added. With a very high percentage of literacy and English-speaking work force, Goa produces over 2,500 engineering graduates (computer, electronic and telecommunication) and around 8,000 graduates every year. There are more than 1,200 persons from the state working in call centres in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. "Wipro has given me a list of 200 Goans working for them outside Goa and I want to bring them home," said the minister. Narvekar said, "We are targeting second-rung leaders in the BPO industry. They are the ones who generate the kind of jobs Goa wants." The state eyes revenue generation of Rs 5,000 crore through the IT sector by 2009. "With BPO industry poised to become knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) industry by including such sectors as pharmaceuticals, India can play a major role to tap this sector's full potential," said Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane. He further said that the BPO industry employs over 2 million people in the country. -- TUMCHER AXIRVAD ASSUM; DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England
