Bengal to achieve 100 pc growth in IT by 2010: Debesh Das

Kolkata, Sep 18 (UNI) West Bengal has witnessed 46 per cent growth in IT/ITES services this year and will hit the cent per cent mark by 2010, state IT Minister Debesh Das said here today.

Talking to mediapersons in a seminar on ICT East 2007, organised by Confederartion of Indian Industry(CII) here, the minister said Bengal would achieve 15 per cent share of national revenue for its IT services and 20 per cent share in ITES services by 2010.

Presently, the total revenue generated out of these two sectors is Rs 3,200 crore and is growing at a rate of 71 per cent against the national growth of 36 per cent, Mr Das said.

He further stated that the state government has decided to allot four million square feet area land for the IT industries at Rajarhat on the eastern fringes of the city. According to the initial plan, however, 20 million square feet area was supposed to be alloted for the purpose.

Keeping in mind the growth in India's software market, that is expected to expand to 50 billion USD by 2009, Mr Das said, ''More stress should be laid on IT education in the primary and secondary levels.

He also said that finishing schools would be set up for students passing their BA and BSc examinations to cope with the competition in the IT and ITES sectors.

One such school has been established in Burdwan district on an experimental basis.

''We are also trying to set up such schoools in other districts in the state,'' minister said.

Currently, the state has 44,000 IT professionals and an additional 1.1 million professionals would be required by 2008, he said and added, ''There has been immense development in the power and telecom sectors in the state.'' UNI PP LL DB1941