After creating a foothold in information technology through Technopark and Infopark that are largely restricted to the big metros, Kerala is now all set to usher in a new wave of IT revolution by taking hi-tech aspirations to its far-flung rural hamlets and smaller towns.
The State Government will showcase a slew of IT-related projects, including rural IT parks in Kollam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts at the forthcoming Emerging Kerala Global Connect in September, looking for private participation from high-profile entrepreneurs gathering at the three-day summit.
New IT parks have been proposed at Kundara on the banks of Ashtamudi kayal east of Kollam district; Pallippuram near Cherthala, Alappuzha, 25 kms south-east of Kochi; and Koratty in Thrissur district by the side of National Highway and 12 kms from Kochi international airport.
The rural IT park concept will be setting up a new benchmark for the next-generation IT revolution in the country at a time when giants in the field who set up bases in big metros are looking for greener pastures in smaller towns to improve the bottom line by shedding extra costs while maintaining skilled manpower.
“Kerala is going to be the ideal platform to experiment this third wave of IT revolution in the country,’’ said P H Kurian, IT Principal Secretary. The first wave was confined to big metros like Bangalore and Hyderabad, while the second was expanded to smaller metros like Kochi and Pune. Apart from the connectivity, the skilled manpower and better logistics in smaller Kerala towns can set pace for the new wave of IT revolution. As much as 53 per cent of Kerala techies hail from rural areas,” Kurian said.
Considering the state’s repository of qualified and trained IT professionals, the cost of start-up projects are low when compared to other major IT destinations like Bangalore and Hyderabad in the country.
Another proposal coming for bids at the meet is a residential complex worth Rs 14 crore to house IT professionals at Kozhikode, an ideal tier-2 city for IT and ITeS business.
There are 40 IT companies in that city, and the project envisages the development of an apartment building for leasing. Kerala will also scout for partners to further develop the next stages of the Infopark at Kochi and Technocity (Phase-IV of Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram).
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