Vizag software exports up 56%

YSR to lay the foundation stone for Wipro campus today

Software exports from the Visakhapatnam region increased by around 56 per cent at Rs 109 crore in the financial year ended March 31, 2006, as compared to Rs 70 crore in the corresponding previous year.

Speaking to Business Standard, Prabhakar Rao, former president, Visakhapatnam Information Technology Association (VITA), said in the current year, software exports from Vizag were likely to cross Rs 150 crore. The region was expected to see enormous growth with the setting up of units by software giants like Satyam, Wipro and TCS, he said.

At present, the Vizag region has about 50 small and medium software units, of which about 10 units started their operations during the last financial year.

According to Rao, apart from major software companies, about 15-20 small and medium software firms are likely to begin their operations during this financial year following which the current year software exports are likely to cross the Rs 150-crore mark.

Satyam Computer has already started construction works in seven acres of land in Vizag and will begin its operations by the end of this financial year.

The state government has also allotted seven acres to Wipro in the heart of the city. Meanwhile, chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy will lay the foundation stone for the Wipro campus tomorrow.

Besides, the government has allotted 50 acres of land to Satyam at Madhurawada and Wipro too has sought another 50 acres to set up a major software export unit in this area.

TCS is getting about 8 acres in the city to set up a software export unit.

This apart, the government has already allotted about 60 acres of land at Madhurawada to about 15 medium-sized software firms to set up software units. The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) has also decided to establish an incubation centre in Vizag at an investment of Rs 2 crore for the benefit of software engineers.

"Software exports from Vizag are likely to cross Rs 500-600 crore over the next 3-4 years once these units come up," Rao said.