Coimbatore could become the next IT hub of Tamil Nadu with the state government identifying a tract of land to set up an information technology park there.

During an interaction with the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Tamil Nadu IT secretary, Vivek Harinarain, suggested that a district IT council be created, which would prepare a roadmap for making Coimbatore a large exporter of computer software.

Since the land has been identified at the Coimbatore Medical College campus, the proposed council should also draw up plan to build an IT township, covering the park along with other amenities like housing, market and school, the official said, according to a CII media release.

Once the feasibility study on the park was completed, a special purpose vehicle, involving agencies like ELCOT, TIDCO, would be formed for taking up the project, Harinarain said.

On the growth of IT industry in Tamil Nadu, Harinarain said the share of IT exports from the State had increased from 14 per cent to 17 per cent of Indian exports.

Tamil Nadu has continued its rich IT haul posting a creditable performance on the export front for the fifth year in a row, he said, adding that the state had clocked a 20.92 per cent growth in software exports at $1.34 billion during 2002-2003.

On the basis of the current growth rate of IT business in the state, Tamil Nadu would require around eight to 12 million square feet space in the coming five years, he said, adding that a cell had been created for speedy clearance of building multi-storey complexes for IT companies.