VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that Visakhapatnam will be transformed into a technology hub, Industries, Commerce, IT and Skill Development Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy on Friday announced that the state government will organise a global IT conclave in the port city towards May end. The event will be organised in collaboration wi th NITI Aayo g and NASSCOM. He exuded confidence that specific focus on advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the likes will help Visakhapatnam transform into a technology hub.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of CXO Round Table Conference organised by the IT, Electronics and Communications department here, the minister said steps that need to be taken to enhance the state’s contribution to the IT sector to 10 per cent in the coming three years, and generate more jobs had been discussed. “As of now, the contribution of AP to IT is less than 5 per cent. Though a majority of software engineers are from the Telugu speaking states, especially from AP, there is still a need to increase our contribution,” he noted.
Appreciating chief experience officers (CXOs) and managing directors of reputed firms for participating in the conference in large number, the minister said representatives of 53 companies physically attended the conference, and those from 10 others virtually. Earlier, Goutham Reddy stressed the vision of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to ensure efficient last-mile delivery of citizen centric welfare schemes, and outlined the critical role of IT platforms in realising this vision while addressing the inaugural session of the event.
The minister also underscored the importance for holistic development of the state which encompasses job creation, high-end skill development and enhanced living standards through novel concepts such as leveraging technology in direct benefit transfers, IT concept cities, work from anywhere, connected living, and grassroot entrepreneurship among other things. He invited the technology fraternity to engage with the government in fine tuning the latter’s strategy to become India’s preferred investment destination.
The industry leaders interacted with senior bureaucrats, and deliberated on topics ranging from skilling, IT & emerging technologies in primary sectors, IT concept cities and infrastructure, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship through startups, new global trends emerging during Covid- 19 pandemic such as ‘work from anywhere’, and how to take advantage of the renewed supply chain dynamics to make AP a hub for electronics manufacturing.
Officials including special chief secretaries Satish Chandra (Higher Education), Poonam Malakondaiah (Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry), Sri Lakshmi (Municipal Administration & Urban Development) and R Karikal Valaven (Industries), and IT Secretary G Jaya Lakshmi were also present.