SLIIT signs with Infinity, PS Group for IT Park
Anjana SAMARASINGHE
Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), BOI together
with two Indian companies Infinity Infotech Parks Ltd will PS Group
Reality Limited to establish an IT Park in Malabe investing US$ 80.44
million.
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Chairman of PS Group Pradip Chopra and Executive Director of
Infinity Infotech Parks Pulak Chamaria. Picture by Sumanachandra
Ariyawansa |
Managing Director/CEO of the SLIIT Dr Lalith Gamage said this is a
public-private partnership project. SLIIT will provide the 15 acre land
for the project and the two Indian companies will invest in the project.
“These two Indian companies will be responsible for marketing the IT
park and attracting IT companies to the Park. Under this project 1.6
million square feet will be developed. At the initial stage 500,000
square feet will be developed and we expect to commence the project
within six months with the necessary approvals,” he said.
The IT park will be equipped with all modern facilities and services
for promoting IT, IT enabled services, BPOs and other knowledge based
industries in the country.
The selection of the party to develop and manage the IT park was done
through an open bidding process. Ernst and Young/ India carried out the
bidding process.
Executive Director of Infinity Infotech Parks Pulak Chamaria said
they expect to attract large-scale companies in the IT industry.
The IT park will provide around 20,000 direct and around 80,000
indirect employment opportunities.
At the initial stage developers expect to attract 10 companies for
the IT park and they are also confident they could attract nearly 30
companies for the whole project. “We have experience in managing and
developing IT parks in India.
It is important to have a perception change in attracting companies
to IT parks,” he said. “Chairman and Managing Director of PS Group
Pradip Chopra said the Indian IT industry is targeting US$ 40 billion
during this year and this will be US$ 60 billion in coming years.
“Today the industry is unable to find qualified human resource for
the industry in India. Indian IT companies have selected countries such
as Vietnam and China for their outsourcing and expansion. Sri Lanka is
an ideal destination for these IT companies to outsource and for their
expansion with the easy access,” Chopra said.
“Comparing with Colombo, Kolkota was a less developed town but we
were able to attract large scale IT companies to Kolkota through the IT
park concept. All Sri Lanka needs is good exposure in the Indian IT
industry to attract more companies, he said.
The project will be a BOI project and the letter of intent was issued
by the BOI to the consortium of two Indian companies yesterday. |
