VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh’s share in IT exports has been below 0.2%, said Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar. In response to a question raised by BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the Union Minister said the value of IT exports from the State of Andhra Pradesh in 2021-22 was just Rs 926 crore.
This was just 0.14% of the IT exports from the country. In the last five years, AP’s share in IT exports was always below 0.2%. Asked about the potential of AP and Visakhapatnam to emerge as a major IT hub in the country, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said as per the National Association of Software and Services Companies, AP has good infrastructure, large manufacturing base, talented youth and a business-friendly environment for the development of IT/ITES industry.
Asked about the presence of other incubation centres in AP, he stated that five incubation centres are functioning in the State under the Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs TIDE 2.0 scheme to support ICT startups. Of them, two are operational in Visakhapatnam and one each in Tirupati, Guntur and Chittoor. Further, STPI is also having three Incubation Centres in Kakinada, Vijayawada and Tirupati and four in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Tirupati and Vijayawada, he added.
GVL said AP accounts for 10% of IT manpower in the country but has a share of below 0.2% in IT exports. Lack of concerted efforts by the State government is compelling youth to migrate to other States in search of jobs, he said.