KCCI urges Dr. C. N. Ashwathnarayan, Dy. CM & IT Minister to Establish a IT Park in City
Mangaluru : Kanara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) wishes to inform you about the representation sent to Dr. C. N. Ashwathnarayan, Dy. CM & IT Minister on the proposal of establishing an IT Park in Mangaluru. With this representation, KCCI wishes to impress upon the Hon. Minister to take up this cause for building an IT Ecosystem in Mangaluru Region.
Following is the letter sent to the Minister:
To,
Dr. C. N. Ashwathnarayan Honorable Deputy Chief Minister & Minister of Higher Education & IT & BT, S&T, Government of Karnataka Bengaluru.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Establishing an Information Technology (IT) Park at Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada.
Greetings from Kanara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Mangaluru – a District level Chamber engaged in promoting Trade, Commerce, Industry for the general welfare of the people in the erstwhile Dakshina Kannada District for the past eight decades. KCCI has always been proactive in taking initiatives for the economic and social developments of D.K. The New Mangalore Port, Airport, National Highways, Railways, MRPL and MSEZ, CEOL are examples of the same. Present status of Mangaluru which calls for immediate establishment of an IT Park:
1. A tier-2 city with a huge pool of IT and ITES talent, but very few job opportunities:
Although Mangaluru is a Tier 2 City, a large ready pool of IT & ITES talent is available here. Mangaluru – Udupi (Manipal) region is known as the Education Hub of Karnataka State. There are more than 20 Engineering Colleges and 100+ Non Engineering Colleges with thousands of students graduating every year. These are highly committed resources, with high productivity, less commuting time, etc. However there is a lack of job opportunities for these graduates in Mangaluru. Even among the lateral skilled employees, many prefer to work from Bengaluru as there are no employment opportunities for their spouse or even for themselves in future. This lack of IT ecosystem puts additional pressure on Bengaluru for which the government is already contemplating decongestion as part of the proposed new IT policy of 2019.
2: The Centre for Entrepreneurship Opportunities and Learning (CEOL) and STPI Incubation Centres are churning out incubated Software enterprises:
KCCI has worked with the Government to promote a Centre for Entrepreneurship Opportunities and Learning (CEOL) in Mangaluru under the guidance and support of the Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman. CEOL Incubation Centre is now functioning close to capacity. Companies incubated 18 months ago have to plan to move out as they grow but are unable to find suitable commercial space at reasonable cost. Apart from this, the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) is also fully occupied and the IT enterprises that are located here have to vacate after their mandatory time, to give place for fresh entities.
3. Established IT companies operating in Mangaluru in need of Bridge Space to Develop :
Currently, there are more than 150+ IT companies operating out of Mangaluru like Infosys, Cognizant along with some successful homegrown companies like Robosoft, Diya Systems, Semnox etc. There are also many companies with 5-30 employees. However, there are not many commercial spaces in and around the city of Mangaluru available at reasonable cost for these companies. These companies either have to migrate to Bengaluru to grow or they need to be housed in suitable working spaces that will enable them to go into fast track growth.
Establishing an IT Park within Mangaluru – a solution to change the status:
From the above it is clear that there is a need to build an IT Park with affordable rentals where many of these companies can operate and expand and have enough space for their natural growth in the city. This IT Park would also help larger IT and ITES to set up their Units in Mangalore. This effort will ensure that our talent pool will be retained and employed here. Moreover the pressure on Bengaluru will be significantly reduced. This IT park in Mangaluru can be a shared working space for multiple IT & ITES companies at one place including adequate Executive as well as leisure infrastructure for the IT employees.
3.25 Acres Readily available Land earmarked for the purpose:
It is heartening to note that there is a readily available land to the extent of 3.25 Acres of Land earmarked by KEONICS for IT Park at Blueberry Hills, Kuntikana, Derebail within the city corporation limits of Mangaluru. Moreover, the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Mangaluru is adjacent to the proposed site. KCCI would like to work with the Government to take this infrastructure initiative forward. It is suggested that the IT Park may be built in 2 Phases of around 1 lakh sq.ft. each with suitable infrastructure to support varied kind, size and type of companies. Common infrastructure like food courts, parking, conference rooms, classrooms, guest lounges, few guest rooms and can also include a small plug and play facility to support startups.
All these facilities can have support centers of the Karnataka State IT department and Start up cell. NASSCOM, CII, TIE, mentoring systems/networks etc. Larger IT companies can be convinced to move part of their BPO Operations from Tier 1 cities to Mangaluru, thus reducing the cost for those companies which will also have the advantage of retention of their human resources for a longer period. This mix of Large, Medium and Small IT & ITES companies within an IT Park will provide the necessary thrust in creating the IT ecosystem in Mangaluru to flourish.
We hope you will take up the above mentioned issue in right earnest and it will be completed in your kind hands.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully, Isaac Vas, President, KCCI