ROURKELA: With decks cleared for restoration of air connectivity, the economy of Rourkela Smart City, heavily dependent on manufacturing activities, may get a fresh impetus with growth of Information Technology (IT) industries coupled with quality technical and medical education.The steel city's growth in recent decades has stagnated largely in absence of fast and efficient mode of transportation and the IT business has been the biggest casualty.
Simultaneously, the city has also failed to attract fresh investment.A senior official of Rourkela-based Software Technology Park of India (STPI) official said the existing IT firms are not able to get quality manpower although the city is considered engineering heartland of Odisha.Sources said STPI has failed to grow with big IT firms avoiding Rourkela, fearing loss of travel time. They said with eight registered firms on its campus, the STPI, Rourkela in 2016-17 achieved software exports turnover of about `8 crore despite huge potential.
They hoped launching of regular commercial flights would trigger huge growth of software export services and also encourage IT, IT Enabled Services (ITES) and Electronic System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) units to set up units. They said the STPI has plan to expand infrastructure and accommodate new IT firms and start-up entrepreneurs, adding that subsequently, Odisha Government may too set up IT tower on IDCO land adjacent to STPI."Rourkela has ability to become an IT hub amid availability of quality technical manpower.
Hope there won't be further delay to enable the city with air connectivity," said Rabindra Mahapatra, Director, Adya Tel Communications Private Limited at the STIP complex.Retired Director of National Institute of Technology -Rourkela (NIT-R) Prof S KSarangi said it is unfortunate that the IT potential of the city remains untapped with highly resourceful manpower preferring to settle in big cities andabroad. In order to propel the city's growth and create sustainable economy, air connectivity remains a prerequisite.
RSP Executives' Association president and NIT-R Alumni Association treasure Bimal Bisi said NIT-R has got sanction to set up a Medical College & Hospital with advanced research facilities, adding that the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital too is getting developed into Super Specialty Hospital and Medical College (SSHMC).
He said it remains a bitter truth that Nobel laureates, top academicians, Government officials and corporate executives usually decline to visit NIT-R only for the factor of losing time during journey. Bisi said air connectivity is a must to develop the city as a hub of engineering and medical education and advanced healthcare services to create an alternative economic ecosystem. He said Biju Patnaik University of Technology, lagging behind now, would also grow for the same reason.
Steel city’s potential untapped
The steel city’s growth in recent decades has stagnated largely in absence of fast and efficient mode of transportation and the IT business has been the biggest casualty.
The existing IT firms are not able to get quality manpower although the city is considered engineering heartland of Odisha.
IT potential of Rourkela remains untapped with highly resourceful manpower preferring to settle in other big cities and abroad.