Chandigarh to host global IT meet

Even as Punjab and Haryana have been wooing potential investors in information technology in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, an international IT conclave called e-revolution will be organised in Chandigarh from July 19-21 to promote the region as a destination for IT and IT-enabled service (ITeS) providers.

The Punjab and Haryana governments, along with the Software Technology Park of India (STPI), will be partners in the event, while Nasscom, Chandigarh IT Club and Society for Promotion of IT in Chandigarh (SPIC) will be associate partners.

Chandigarh achieved its first milestone in the sector when the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September 2005 was given the SEZ status.

Infosys and Wipro are already operational in the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park Tech while Mahindra, Bharti Televentures and eSys are soon opening their shops in there.

The city recorded IT exports worth Rs 270 cr last year and registered an export turnover of Rs 450 cr in 2005-06.

Availability of trained manpower and a clean environment makes the region suitable for the growth of the IT industry.

The country's leading IT players, Nasscom Chief Kiran Karnik and the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana will be participating in the event.

The event will focus on the current trends in IT (BPO, KPO and TPO) and the prospects and future of e-governance in the region.