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HomeBlogsCricketAstrologyTendersClassifiedsReader CommentsHotels | Archive Expressindia Story Govt should act fast to set up the IT hub Posted: Oct 11, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST Print Email To Editor Post Comments

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Why do you think Lucknow has the potential to emerge as a major IT destination? India has emerged as a global hub of knowledge-based business. And there is saturation in some of the major IT hotspots like Bangalore and Hyderabad, it is time to pro-actively promote tier-2 cities. It is already happening elsewhere in the country with a lot of action. Lucknow has everything in it, which is required to make it an outstanding IT destination.

How does the talent pipeline look like? Some of the countrys best engineering colleges and business schools are located here. Around 50,000 engineering and Computer Science graduates annually pass out from the state colleges. An estimate states that over 10 per cent of the countrys top-ofthe-line IT manpower comes from UP, where Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and NCR region are the major contributors. Besides, the presence of IIT-Kanpur and IIM-Lucknow indeed is a positive sign and which will make Lucknow as an excellent destination for the IT industry. Do you think that the social infrastructure in Lucknow is good enough for its conversion into an IT hub? Lucknow has a class of its own which is far beyond the obvious. With changing times, newer horizons have emerged. The city has star hotels, clubs, resorts, multi-cuisine restaurants, health spas, lush green parks and golf courses. There are foreign banks, multiple telecom service providers, well-laid roads, ultra-modern housing and good healthcare facilities. The multiplexes and shopping malls have added an interesting dimension to the city with international brands and global fast food-chains having set their footprints here. Besides, operations of six airlines from the city to major destinations have improved the citys connectivity. Above all, the cost of living is appreciably lower. Why cannot the state promote cities like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Agra as ideal IT destinations? IT investments never flourish all over the country or state, not even in the US. IT always happens in clusters. It is time to shift focus beyond Noida and become pro-active soliciting investments here, the way it was done in Hyderabad a few years ago. No city in the state other than Noida can match the physical and social infrastructure that Lucknow offers today.

What step the state government should take to help the industry grow in Lucknow? What really matters is getting large investments from IT bigwigs, which would result in creating direct employment for a large number of people and a multiplier effect creating more indirect jobs. The state government is giving a serious thought to pursue this objective. It would be wonderful for the state government to catalyse the process by creating an IT SEZ in the city, so that players in the industry can commence operations with minimal delays and draw the tax benefits. The only thing is that the government needs to act fast in this. If the government is working on it. What is the role of TCS in it? The TCS is preparing a strategic plan for the IT hub. But it is not the TCS alone besides, the government is coordinating with NASSCOM and Computer Society of India. We are working handin-hand as partners in progress to turn this vision into a reality in a fast-paced manner.