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Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Mohali, an autonomous
body under the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) recently
struck an agreement with the Chandigarh administration to
set up an STPI in the upcoming IT Park in Chandigarh and will
be signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) next month.
“Our plant will have full-fledged data communication
and incubation facilities, which we will extend to all IT
companies,” says Sanjay Tyagi, additional director and
centre head, STPI-Mohali. It is believed that the STPI in
Chandigarh, once set up, will provide a much need face-lift
and support infrastructure to the ‘IT park’ initiative
rolled out by the Chandigarh administration.
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TYAGI
says STPI is on the lookout for a JV partner to assist
them in setting up the incubation and datacom centre |
The
incubation centre will provide the cluster effect wherein
a large number of small units could get space at affordable
cost and the benefits of infrastructure facilities such as
leased line connections, computers, software, manpower and
guidance etc. Apart from this, companies will also benefit
from the STP scheme which provides for single window clearance
and tax concession to all STP bonded units. This will reduce
the time spent in securing government approvals and availing
incentives like duty free imports, export certifications,
allocation of foreign exchange etc.
The STPI is currently looking for a Joint Venture (JV) partner
for establishing the incubation centre. “We are looking
for a private player as the JV partner who will participate
with us in setting up the incubation centre,” says Tyagi.
He believes that if the MoU is signed next month, the STPI
Chandigarh centre will be up and running in the next five
months.
STPI Mohali has set an ambitious target of achieving Rs 100
crore in revenues through software exports from its centre.
The centre has grown consistently at 50 percent per annum
since it was set up in 1998. In its first year of operations,
STPI Mohali struck the software exports revenue base of Rs
7.7. crore and jumped to Rs 14 crore in the very next fiscal
i.e. 1999-2000. Last financial year i.e. 2000-2001 it touched
software exports of Rs 53 crore.
There was hardly any software units and export from Chandigarh/Mohali
before setting up of the STPI in this region. Today, over
100 units have set up base in the region and STPI has roped
in big names in the industry such as Quark Media, Infosys
Technologies, IDS Infotech, Tata Interactive Systems, SmartData
Enterp-rises, eThreeR Infosystems, Net Solutions, Rana Informatics,
IGSP Technology Centre etc. STPI Mohali also boasts of creating
new opportunities for employment of approximately 5000 software
professionals.
The IT Park at Chandigarh is the second attempt of the state
to tap the IT opportunity. Two years ago, in 1999, the city
tried riding the IT wave but apparently lost its way somewhere
in the middle of 2000--due to a slowdown in the economy, bureaucratic
hassles, slack marketing and implementation of policies. Today
it is standing at the threshold of yet another attempt to
relive the dream seen two years back. But the approach, this
time, is what the officials call--fool proof, proactive and
all encompassing.
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