THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's information technology (IT) department will be participating in the weeklong Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) beginning in Dubai on Saturday.
The state will showcase the IT parks in the state, including the recently-launched mega IT and biotech zone, Technocity, and a chain of smaller parks being developed in its small towns on a hub-and-spoke basis.
However, SmartCity Kochi, its joint-venture with Dubai's SmartCity promoted by Tecom Investments, will be missing from the list of Kerala exhibitors at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre this year too.
Kerala IT, the unified brand developed to promote business opportunities in the field of information technology in the state, will be represented by two member senior level delegation, Technopark CEO Mervin Alexander and Cyberpark CEO Binu A Pazhoor.
"In the past few years, many blue chip firms have established their presence in Kerala and the state is witnessing unparalleled development in the sector. This year we will showcase our most ambitious Technocity project among others," said Alexander.
He said: Technocity has already generated lot of interest in India with TCS's plans to set up its biggest training centre there. Developments in Kerala IT in 2009 and early 2010 is indicative of the acceptance of the new destinations by IT companies.
"We also want to use this opportunity to meet up the prominent Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) to talk to them about wide range of investments opportunities that the State has prepared from the northern tip to the state capital," added Pazhoor.
Kerala lags far behind its southern neighbors and accounts for hardly one percent of India's software exports despite its early bird advantage coupled with availability of abundant bandwidth and talent pool. The authorities say the scene has fast been changing with major brands setting shops here, through in a limited scale.
The state wants to capitalize on its geographical attributes and transform itself into a major IT hub through focused initiatives in infrastructure and human resource development and citizen e-enablement. The state also offers economic sops to the companies operating within framework of Kerala IT based on a single window solution.
By ASHRAF PADANNA
© Arab News 2010
