KOCHI: Kerala’s villages are going global -- garnering the attention of multinational companies. After IT company Zoho Corp set up an R&D facility in Kottarakkara, an American MNC, GR8 Affinity, has opened an office in the remote village of Kulakkada, also in Kollam district. GR8 (pronounced ‘Great’), a collaboration of six top-100 US-based accounting and consulting firms, has started its operations at the ASAP (Additional Skill Acquisition Programme) Community Skill campus at Kulakkada.
In a Facebook post, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P Rajeeve, said, “This is the first time that international companies have come forward to create job opportunities in a rural area in the state. GR8 Affinity provides job opportunities to commerce graduates.” In the first phase, the company recruited 18 persons who completed their enrolled agents course at ASAP. “This shows the strength of Kerala’s startup ecosystem,” he said.
“The starting salary of those recruited is as high as `5.5 lakh per annum,” said the minister. The work is mainly done online. “Employees are happy to be part of big companies with good salaries close to home. The government will extend the scheme to other rural areas in the state,” Rajeeve added.
Explaining why MNCs are ready to set up shop in villages, Sreekumar V, secretary of GTech (Group of Technology Companies), said, “Villages in Kerala aren’t as rural as those in other states. They are semi-urban. With the exception of some villages in Wayanad and Kasaragod, nearly all others are semi-urban.”“Moreover, our villages are blessed with three factors that attract the attention of MNCs: connectivity, infrastructure facilities and vast talent pool.
This realisation set in during the Covid days,” he added. “The state government has also launched many schemes aimed at attracting IT companies to rural areas and thereby boost employment opportunities there. From Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode, the state has all the potential to become an IT hub,” Sreekumar said.
Expressions of interest have been sought from companies seeking to open offices in the 16 community parks under ASAP, said an official. “The aim is to attract job opportunities for the talent pool available in rural areas.”
Meanwhile, to boost employability among IT graduates in rural areas in the state, the department of electronics and information technology has launched a project called FOSTeRA. According to an official with Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL), the project aims to procure jobs for unemployed IT, ITeS and BPO graduates residing in villages.
“Under the scheme, financial support of up to 50% of capital expenditure (capex) will be provided to set up operations, subject to an upper ceiling of `1 lakh per seat. Up to 50% of operational expenditure (opex) support at actuals on admissible items will also be provided,” said the official.