It is really encouraging for all of us that, when people are talking about downturn, we are inaugurating this new venture. Though, almost every industry has been affected by this meltdown, sometimes in the campaigns of the media and several people it appears that as if only IT has been affected by this slump in global economy. Obviously, Information Technology sector in India, which is highly dependent on outsource cannot avoid it. But, still you see the growth in IT sector – even in this downturn condition the national average of IT growth is 15%. The growth of IT in West Bengal in 2009
has decreased from that in 2008 due to the global meltdown – it has come down from 45% to 25%. But still, it is 25% - can you name any other industry which has shown such growth in the state in last year? There has been a growth of 20% in employment in the last year in IT in West Bengal, it is less than the expectation of 35%. Yet 20% is not a very low value.

        In last three years, the employment in IT sector at West Bengal has become almost 2.5 times in comparison to what it was in 2006. Now in West Bengal, there are about 90000 people working in IT sector. Previously, we had 171 acres of land allotted to IT and IT infrastructure companies at Sector V of Salt lake and 10 acres of land for DLF at Rajarhat. Now, we have about 300 acres of land at Rajarhat New Town already allotted to IT and IT infrastruture companies which include TCS, Unitech, DLF, RMZ, Shapporji Paloonji, and others. Moreover, we have 130 acres of land at Bantala and 10 acres at Nonadanga, which were already allotted. Previously, we started sector V with the initiation from the Govt. by starting an IT infrastructure building SDF there. The last such IT infrastructure  building developed by the Govt. was in 1999 in sector V. Now, weare going to inaugurate the SDF buildings at Durgapur and Siliguri in this year. We like to see the growth of IT coming up in these places surrounding these buildings in the same way, as we have noticed in Sector V. In sector V also we have planned to have a new infrastructure building from the Government. In brief, what is there in today’s Sector V, those facilities are going to be at least tripled in the coming days because of the initiatives taken in last three years.

        But, are all these sufficient? Not, at all. The full potential of West Bengal was not yet fully exploited. Bengal has become attractive due to its talent pool, low cost, good infrastructure, low attrition rate, etc. In IT sector of West Bengal, 24X 7 companies never stopped. Many companies are considering the state for their destination. We need more companies and also more space for them if we like to accomplish our goal.

         I am grateful to the Central Government, specially its Finance Minister, Sri Pranab Mukherjee for his concern for the expansion of reputed IT companies in the state. Though our recent decision of not to proceed with the project of Kolkata link IT Township has affected the future planning of IT Department, but it has not impeded our relentless efforts to work harder and harder for the growth of IT sector in the state. The whole Government along with all the people in the state, irrespective of their views and political affiliations are very much keen to see the expansion of Wipro, Infosys and other IT companies in the state. The whole state Government is working in that direction. I fervently request the cooperation, suggestion and help of all the political parties, individuals and common people of West Bengal for the development of IT industry in the state.