Slices of Kerala Life

Kozhikode: The IT department will soon make a final decision on the construction of the information technology park, proposed to come up in a 78 acre site near here. The IT Park in Kozhikode would be set up in the model of Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram.

This is a fore runner of the Government plan to open IT parks in all districts of Kerala. The official sources pointed out that already over 10 companies including NeST, US Technology, FinPro Business Solution Bangalore Ltd and Leela Group among others have shown interest in starting their organizations in this IT Park. In addition job offers galore with many IT giants like IBS offering to set up one lakh sq.feet at the IT hub in Kozhikode, which would ensure initial employment of over 1000, which would scale up to 5000 in future.

 Kerala holds a distinct cutting edge over its competitors in IT industry as it has an impressive English speaking manpower and the requisite infrastructure facilities. Kochi being the landing point of the submarine cable holds an additional credit of being a global gateway in internet connectivity. Kerala boasts of a 100% literacy rate with an impressive line up of professional colleges, which churn out young qualified engineers. The prevailing trend of brain drain caused by the migration of this creamy pie of labor force could also be arrested with the commissioning of more IT parks, which can ensure attractive jobs right at their door step.

The advent of IT industries would boost the overall development of northern Kerala and it has also been a long pending demand of entrepreneurs and realtors in this part of Kerala. Its proximity to Bangalore, the hot seat of various IT giants like IBM, Wipro and Infosys enhances the significance of this IT hub.  Kozhikode has both domestic and international air services that are at par with the best, which would notch up its popularity an IT hub even further. The Government is also planning to introduce daily flights to all major European and American destinations apart from the Indian metro cities.

The proposal of setting up the IT Park was welcomed by the Calicut IT Initiative, a group that was set up to support this proposal. Many prominent groups including representatives of the Malabar Chamber of Commerce, IT Forum of Calicut, IIM-Kozhikode, Calicut Management Association and NIT-Calicut among others are members of CITI.