Policy Push Key For Getting Big IT Projects To AP

The bold policy initiatives will usher in a huge developmental change for AP that not only increases the State’s revenues, but also creates large employment opportunities for many especially the youth, who at present been migrating to other States especially Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai for more lucrative jobs - Lakshmi Mukkavilli, president, ITAAP, tells Bizz Buzz

After the announcement by IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh that technology giant TCS would set up a campus in Visakhapatnam with a scope for generating 10,000 jobs, IT Association of Andhra Pradesh (ITAAP) president Lakshmi Mukkavilli said that the exercise to launch a new IT, ITeS and Electronics Policy is a pivotal moment in bringing in big ticket projects in IT/ITeS and electronics.

In an interview, she told Bizz Buzz that the bold policy initiatives will usher in a huge developmental change for AP that not only increases the State’s revenues, but also creates large employment opportunities for many especially the youth, who at present been migrating to other States especially Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai for more lucrative jobs.

While appreciating Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s decision to transform Visakhapatnam into an IT and financial hub, she observed that it would be nice to have in developing IT hotspots across the State in places like Tirupati, Amaravati, Vijayawada, Anantapur Kakinada and Rajahmundry.

In the new generation ecosystem, emerging technologies like IT and AI are part of every industry sector which will drive the development of the specific areas and increase the infrastructure needs of the cities along with the social infrastructure. She said overall the ecosystem is more sustainable and conducive for the growth of the cities in AP.

Coming to Visakhapatnam which has been in sort of a lull, the coastal city has received a big boost now with with TCS announcing to set up a facility here and create 10,000 jobs. Thanks to the proactive drive of Minister Nara Lokesh, TCS is coming to Visakhapatnam. The IT major’s presence is going to change the landscape of Vizag, she observed.

The ITAAP chief said with Infosys already carrying on its operations here and soon TCS, her perspective is that other big companies will also start looking at Visakhapatnam as a prominent investment destination.

“We already have human resources with a large talent pool, who have been migrating to other States for greener pastures,” she said, pointing out that the trend can be stopped with reverse migration once big-ticket projects start operations.

According to her, the investment by big players will also improve our ecosystem relating to IT, transport connectivity, social infrastructure development. It will also help create more jobs that are needed to support this ecosystem. One of the highest priorities of the new government is to create five lakh jobs and with TCS coming in, the State will move in the right direction.