The State may shortly get a start-up accelerator programme modelled along the lines of the one in Chile for attracting start-ups from across the globe. Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has earmarked ₹10 crore for a similar programme under the aegis of the Kerala Technology Innovation Zone (KTIZ).
Two less-heralded IT destinations – Chile and Estonia – were the surprise mentions in the Minister’s speech. He marvelled at how Chile’s accelerator programme, launched in 2010, managed to attract global start-ups. .
Claiming that the Left Democratic Front government had far exceeded its promise in the election manifesto in terms of creation of IT infrastructure, Dr. Isaac went on to promise creation of 1.16 crore sq ft of IT space in two years in addition to the 50 lakh sq ft the government claimed to have created in the past three years.
Jobs to be doubled
He promised to double IT jobs from the existing one lakh by the end of the government’s term.
The total outlay for the IT sector stood at ₹574 crore, out of which ₹139 crore has been earmarked for the Kerala State IT Mission, the nodal agency.
Government IT Parks in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Cherthala have been given a combined allocation of ₹84 crore and the Cyberpark in Kozhikode ₹23 crore.
The KSITL, the government agency for IT Infrastructure facilities and implementing Kerala Fibre Optic Network Project, has been allocated ₹148 crore.
The International Centre for Free and Open Source Software, an autonomous organisation set up by the State government, has been allocated ₹6 crore and the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology ₹7 crore.
The budget also allocated ₹70 crore for the youth entrepreneurship development programme of the Kerala Startup Mission.