The 164-acre IT SEZ is expected to generate 10,000 jobs directly over the next five years.

Source: Business Line

Rural upliftment: A. Nagappan (right), Principal, VMKV Engineering College, Salem, exchanging an MoU for the Rural BPO Project with Arun Chinnaraju, Chairman, SoftPro iTechnology (centre) in Salem on Wednesday. A. Malathi (right), Co-Chairperson of Softpro iTechnology is also in the picture.

Four engineering colleges including Vinayaka Mission University’s Kirupananda Variyar (VMKV) Engineering College, Salem, have been identified to execute Tamil Nadu government’s rural BPO projects in the Salem region of Western zone for which the US-based software firm SoftPro has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with colleges at Chennai recently.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday its Chairman Arun Chinnaraju and Co-Chairman A. Malathi said that the rural BPOs being partnered by their firm, SoftPro, would ensure quality-based training and work modules to the rural unemployed graduates.

The firm, they said would create job opportunity for nearly 400 youths in rural areas especially college students and even school drop-outs.

They further said that their international experience in the field of software and process driven delivery methodology would provide valuable exposure and experience to these rural based youths to launch their careers without a hitch. “We will not compromise on quality delivery,” he said. In association with VMKV Engineering College, the technology provider had prepared a project report to execute the plan.

VMKV Engineering College Principal A. Nagappan said that the institution, had been taking concerted effort to impart technical education particularly to rural students. The ELCOT controlled project would bring in technological advantage to rural areas. He also said that quality control team for the joint initiative would be set up.

The other three colleges are KSR Institute of Technology, Tiruchengode, Jayam Engineering College, Dharmapuri and Muthayammal Engineering College, Rasipuram.

Source: The Hindu

The Tamil Nadu government is keen on setting up business process outsourcing (BPO) units in rural areas, Information Technology Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna has said.

The government was already successful in setting up a rural BPO in Krishnagiri district, which had generated employment opportunities for the rural youth. The Chief Minister was keen on setting up similar BPOs in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu. A policy was being worked out in this regard, she told media persons after inspecting the construction works in Salem Information Technology park on Monday.

Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam, Collector J. Chandrakumar and senior officials accompanied the Minister.

She said that the construction works in the park were taken up on 53 acres initially. Roads, power supply, water supply and other basic amenities would be created at a cost of Rs. 10 crore. The construction of a building for the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu on a 50,000 sq. ft. land would begin in April. Four companies had expressed interest for setting up their units in the park so far, she said. Tamil Nadu was ranked second, after Karnataka, in software exports, she added. Mayor J. Rekha Priyadarshini was also present.

Source: THE HINDU

Salem district administration has organised a function for the same in which Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam and IT Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna would participate.

Inspecting the site here, Mr. Arumugam said that ELCOT, the nodal agency for the IT Park had already allotted a sum of Rs 9.44 crore for the building works.

The Park was coming up on 53-acre land on the Salem-Bangalore National Highways, which also was closer to the city and its airport.

The Minister after inspecting the works, pointed out that the works would be completed as per the schedule.

He asked ELCOT officials to take necessary action to relocate the existing electric poles on the Park site.

ELCOT Managing Director Santosh Babu would present a project report at the function in which Salem Collector J. Chandrakumar, District Revenue Officer M. Rajarathinam and others would participate.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had laid foundation stone for the IT Park and special economic zone (SEZ) some two years ago.

Source: THE HINDU

Participating at the ‘Salem 2020’ programme organised by Sona College of Technology here on Wednesday, the Minister said that the government had allotted 160 acres of land for the establishment of the IT Park in Salem.

In the first phase, the State government’s Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) would start construction works on 40 acres of land in a month’s time.

The Minister also promised that he would initiate concerted efforts to bring in air connectivity to Salem. A private airline had already discussed the possibility of commencing flight services to Salem a few months ago.

Listing the development programmes being carried out in Salem district, the Minister said that the Central and State Governments were establishing a super speciality hospital in the city.

The State government also allotted funds for the construction of additional building with 270 beds to Salem Government Medical College Hospital.

The number of educational institutions functioning in the district had increased as the government was giving more thrust to higher education. The Minister also appealed to the educational institutions and students to give importance to Tamil medium in higher education.

Earlier, students of Sona School of Management presented ‘Salem 2020’, a vision document for the growth of Salem.

Industrialists and officials from various departments spoke on the growth of various sectors in Salem.

Veerapandi MLA A. Raja, Mayor J. Rekha Priyadarshini, College Chairman C. Valliappa, Secretary A. Dhirajlal, Principal P. Govindarajan and Thiagarajar Polytechnic College Principal Karthikeyan, senior officials, faculty members and students were present.

Source: THE HINDU