Bangalore software exports to touch Rs. 70,000 crore this fiscal

Bangalore software exports to touch Rs. 70,000 crore this fiscal

Nagesh Prabhu

BangaloreIT.in, from October 29, is expected to boost exports further

The conference will showcase Bangalore’s unique IT eco-system

Readymade garment sector registered a growth of 36 per cent in 2006-07

BANGALORE: BangaloreIT.in, Asia’s biggest IT event, which will be held from October 29 to November 1, will attract 23 official delegations from various countries and will witness the congregation of IT leaders, business leaders, technologists and venture capitalists.

The event, a unique opportunity for leading names of the Indian IT companies to showcase their technology, will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre by the Department of Information Technology, State Department Biotechnology and Science and Technology, and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Bangalore.

Speaking to The Hindu on Sunday, M.N. Vidyashankar, Secretary, IT, BT and S&T, said the event will further boost the IT exports from the State. The State continued to be in its unassailable position in the information technology sector, recording exports of Rs. 56,478.16 crore during 2006-07. It is expected to touch Rs. 70,000 crore in the current fiscal (2007-08), Mr. Vidyashankar said.
Participation

For the first time, delegations from South American countries are participating in the four-day event. As many as 175 IT companies have confirmed their participation in the mega event.

Ministers and representatives from 16 Indian States have also confirmed their participation. Germany, Australia, Canada, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Russia, Korea, Japan and the UK among other countries, will participate in the BangaloreIT. this year. There is a concerted effort to make the event relevant and focused for the IT industry, the secretary said.

The conference will showcase Bangalore’s unique IT eco-system and how the various clusters will benefit the IT industry.

Relevant industry trends, best practices, the domestic market and education and development will be discussed during the event.

The four-day seminar cum exhibition will be a platform to not just demonstrate and engage in high value networking but also learn and leverage from those who have done it. The conference is conceptualised keeping in mind industry requirements, and will cover various interesting and relevant topics and different from the past events, Mr. Vidyashanakar said.

The State continued its lead in the information technology sector, recording software exports of Rs. 56,478.16 crore during 2006-07. The State’s total exports stood at Rs. 1,05,850.24 crore in 2006-07, registering a 29 per cent growth. The State share in the country’s total exports stood at about 15.6 per cent.
Growth

The growth in exports over the past few years has been attributed to the dominant role played by the IT sector. The software exports stood at Rs. 31,488.73 crore in 2004-05 and Rs. 42,180.81 crore in 2005-06.
Other sectors

Sectors such as readymade garments also registered a growth of 36 per cent in 2006-07, exporting goods worth Rs. 6,773 crore.

Other major commodities and services that contributed increase in the State’s exports in 2006-07 are: engineering – Rs. 5,461 crore (growth rate of 79 per cent), iron ore and minerals – Rs. 7,281.72 crore (23 per cent), coffee products - Rs. 1,476.65 crore (34 per cent), basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics – Rs. 1,839.05 crore (81 per cent), and gem and jewellery – Rs. 7,799.11 crore (36 per cent). Exports of petroleum and petroleum products (minus 3 per cent), plastic goods (minus 79 per cent) registered negative growth in the last fiscal.
Strategic plan

Besides continuing to focus on providing basic infrastructure and other support to the IT and biotechnology sectors, the Government has begun implementing a strategic plan to extend assistance to the manufacturing sector.

To attract major industries to rural areas, the plans have been prepared to construct airports in second tier cities, sources in the Industry Department said.