Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 8 (IANS) At the forthcoming Emerging Kerala investor meet, the state is set to carry the wave of its IT revolution to rural areas, said an official.

Apart from connectivity, skilled manpower and better logistics in smaller towns can set pace for the new wave of IT revolution, said P.H. Kurian, principal secretary for IT, government of Kerala.

“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 are looking for greener pastures in smaller towns to improve the bottom line by shedding extra costs, while maintaining skilled manpower,” said Kurian.

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.

The three-day summit to be held in Kochi will have participation from high-profile entrepreneurs. Kerala is going to be the ideal platform to experiment this third wave of IT revolution in the country.

Another feature of Kerala IT is that 53 percent of techies hail from rural pockets.

Kerala, which pioneered an IT revolution with Technopark in 1992, has had a chequered growth in the sector. After a lull, it is now bubbling with the vibrancy of Smart City, whose construction in Kochi began in October last year.

The proposed rural IT parks are expected to take this forward in a big way, given the advantages the state’s rural pockets have when it comes to availability of skilled manpower and better logistics.

Today, Kerala’s share in IT exports stands around Rs.3,500 crore, a miniscule when compared to its neighbouring states.

“IT is one of key areas, given the potential of Kerala, which supplies a great number of skilled professionals to all major IT hubs in the world,” said Alkesh Sharma, managing director of state-owned Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, which is coordinating the mega investment meet.