STPI to start functioning full-fledged

BERHAMPUR: Software Technology Park of India ( STPI), set up at Ambapua at the outskirt of Berhampur, will start functioning in a full-fledged manner soon, though big IT companies are yet to open their unit, official sources said today.

While a local web-developing IT firm has already stared work, recruiting around 100 persons, some south-based software companies have also shown their interest to come to the STPI to expand their business in Orissa, a senior officer of IT department said.

"We are inviting reputed IT companies for the STPI, Berhampur, but they are yet to give firm commitment," said additional director of STPI Manas Panda.

He, however, expressed hope the companies would now show their interest, as the IT sector was gradually improving in the post-recession period. The STPI, Berhampur, is the third such institute in the state after Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The government has proposed another STPI at Balasore. Set up by STPI, an autonomous society under the union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) with investment of about Rs 5 crore, it was built over three acres.

The state government has provided the land free of cost. The STPI will work with the state government for promotion of software export. The main objective is to enable local entrepreneurs to venture into the IT industry and work on projects for software exports.