HYDERABAD: The youngest State in the country has seen quite a remarkable increase in its Information Technology exports in the last five years. Conducive ecosystem for the IT sector, robust policies, stable government and favourable locations of Hyderabad have cumulatively contributed to doubling the State’s IT exports to Rs 1.09 lakh crore from Rs 57,258 crore in 2013.
Soon after the formation of the State, in 2014, the IT, Electronics and Communications Department, helmed by KT Rama Rao, had set upon the task of proving a point to its critics, who during bifurcation claimed that creation of Telangana would hamper its image of Hyderabad as an IT hub.
Right at the start of Rama Rao’s tenure as the IT minister, he met several officials of International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad and Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad to take their opinion on what the IT industry needs.
It seems that these meetings bore fruit with the creation of T-Hub.
It is a startup incubator, and ergo organisation which stressed on job creators, the State government then created Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) aiming at job seekers to improve their skillset.
Soon after, several different organisations such as Telangana State Innovation Cell, WeHub, a platform for women entrepreneurs, Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH) and T-Works -- the hardware incubator came up in the city.
Speaking to Express, Konatham Dileep, director (digital media) of the Information Technology, Electronics and Communications department, said, “In 2014, the Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self Certification System (TS-iPASS), came up which ensures certification of a company within just 15 days. It is important to note that Amazon was given its certification within 10 days.”
This favourable ecosystem for the information technology sector also reflected in the State’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, in which Telangana stood second in 2018.
Dileep added, “Another reason which contributed to the 17 per cent increase in IT exports from the last year was its sectoral policies.” Similarly, the State has unique policies on e-waste, cybersecurity and more. The favourable location of Hyderabad also plays its part in attracting investments. The Metro and road network also plays its part in easing conveyance.
Proving a point
Soon after the formation of the State, in 2014, the IT, Electronics and Communications Department helmed by KT Rama Rao, had set upon the task of proving a point to its critics, who during bifurcation claimed that creation of Telangana would hamper its image of Hyderabad as an IT hub. Right at the start of Rama Rao’s tenure as the IT minister, he met several officials of International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad and Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad to take their opinion on what the IT industry needs