Major IT park in Visakhapatnam on cards to boost job creation

VIJAYAWADA: Observing that information technology (IT) is the sector with highest employment potential, IT and Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy directed officials to explore the feasibility of establishing a major IT park near millennium towers in Visakhapatnam. The proposed park could be along the lines of Raheja Mindspace park in Hyderabad.

In a review meeting on Friday, the minister said the objective of the government is to create employment in IT sector. He said that the said IT park in Hyderabad was developed in nine acres, and inferred that it has created thousands of jobs. “By developing an IT park, we can create as many jobs as possible. What the chief minister wants from IT department is IT/ITES jobs in which the youth takes pride in, but not BPO jobs,” he said.

He also directed the officials to study the requirement of IT office space so that necessary development plan could be designed. He also revealed that a company with 8,000 jobs in BPO sector has come forward to work with the state government. “We will intensify our focus on development of IT ecosystem. There may be financial constraints, but things will happen when there is determination and will. The IT sector in the state should become self-reliant,” minister Mekapati added.

On the occasion, the officials apprised the minister of the status of various projects including millennium towers, signature towers, IT concept cities and others. They also informed him about the infrastructure development being done by AP Technology Services Ltd. 

The minister was also miffed with the condition of the official website of the department and instructed the officials to update it within 48 hours. He questioned as to how IT department’s website could be in such a condition. He instructed them to hand over the responsibility to competent officials and to be more active on social media.