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Tamil Nadu's software exports shoot up to Rs 4 billion

In an advertisement released to the press about the foundation stone laying ceremony for an information technology park in Madras, he said hardware

T O D A Y

• Monitor industry • Localised office suite • U R Rao is not happy • TN exports shoot up

exports have exceeded Rs 7 billion in 1997-98.

"With over 15,000 professionals currently working in Tamil Nadu, we have one of the largest pools of software professionals in the country," he said, adding that of 23,000 engineers graduating every year from the state, 13,000 are from IT related disciplines.

Realising the importance of IT as a key to rapid industrialisation of the state, his government had recently introduced an innovative and industry-friendly information technology policy to encourage the setting up high-tech parks, he recalled.

To this end, the state-owned ELCOT and TIDCO have floated a new company called TIDEL Park Limited to develop a million square feet of space for it industries at Taramani at a cost of Rs 2.8 billion, he said.

Karunanidhi said the state government, realising the need for skilled labour for information technology, had taken a major initiative in setting up the Tamil Nadu Institute of Information Technology as an institute of excellence for producing high-quality labour.

The government is keen that major private IT players participate in this innovative institution so that the state could be in the forefront in developing the skills required for this sector, he said.

The Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited is also in an advanced stage of installing another Standard-A earth station at Ambattur near Madras for augmenting information facilities, he mentioned.

Also under installation is a Standard-B antenna that would provide both data and video uplinking facilities, which would become operational early next year, he added.

The chief minister is happy that the National Taskforce on Information Technology has selected Madras as one of the five centres for setting up a high-tech habitat in rural hinterlands for a flourishing IT manufacturing base in the country.

UNI

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