BHUBANESWAR: Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar is among 26 emerging Tier-II tech hubs in the country and can potentially establish itself as an epicentre of technological growth and innovation.
As per a recent report released by global tech consulting firm Deloitte and trade association Nasscom, cities from 15 states have the potential to become the ‘next wave of technology hubs’. The cities have been analysed on five key pillars for establishing technology hubs across any location. The pillars include talent, infrastructure, start-up ecosystem, risk and regulatory environment besides social and living environment.
Given its large and talented workforce, Bhubaneswar has been able to attract a wide range of companies in recent times. It has emerged as not only a source of large number of highly skilled workers but also a location where quality talent can be found. With a population of around 1.22 million (12 lakh), the city has an adult literacy rate of 93.15 per cent. Among top performers in the start-up ranking, Bhubaneswar, where the rate of unemployment is the lowest, is known for the availability of trained talent pool. While the city is host to 200 plus technology and BPM-related businesses, presence of over 20 incubators ensures the city is competitive in the innovation index.
The report titled ‘Emerging technology hubs of India’ stated that as the nature of work becomes increasingly decentralised, many new opportunities open up for people in the tier II cities, which have a significant untapped talent pool. “With the right skills and expertise, the talents in the emerging cities can complement and support their peers located at the matured hubs. The shift is already beginning as IT companies are increasingly looking beyond the matured hubs,” it said. Although Bhubaneswar is a relatively discreet player in the tech domain, it is soon poised for significant growth due to its service industry, including the tech sector, which employs nearly 96 per cent of the total working population.
Principal secretary of Electronics and IT department Manoj Mishra said fuelled by rapid infrastructure growth, government initiatives, burgeoning start-ups and diverse skills, the emerging tier-II city is the new tier I for IT ecosystem. “One of the key advantages of the city is the cost-to-value ratio. With support and resources, it will be one of the major hubs of economic growth and development,” he said.