IT companies not utilising allotted land in Orissa

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Bhubaneswar, Jul 8 : The Orissa government has expressed its concern over non-utilisation of land by IT/ITeS companies. Although the government has allotted nearly 300 acres to about 26 IT and ITeS companies at Infocity–I in Bhubaneswar a couple of years back, only one of those has started operations.

IT/ITeS majors like Wipro, Genpact and Mindtree, who have signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Orissa government for setting up software development and BPO centres, are yet to start operations.

Wipro has been allotted 26 acres. The only company that has started operations is Infosys Technologies Ltd. The company has been given 45 acres in two phases.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has directed IT companies to get their infrastructure ready by the end of this financial year. Patnaik reviewed the progress of works at a high-level meeting on Monday.

Representatives of IT/ITeS companies said their projects have been delayed owing to the change that the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) made in its building rule. The BDA has recently come up with a changed floor area ratio (FAR) so far as construction is concerned.

Four companies have so far completed construction works.

ABBSYS Information Technology, which got less than an acre, is ready with a building having more than 26,000 sqft floor area. The company is scheduled to commence operations from July 12.

IT major Wipro has received 26 acres and construction has started recently. Genpact and Mindtree have planned to start operations from the third quarter of 2009. Both the companies have promised employment opportunity for 10,000 persons.

Aricent Technologies has applied for 12 acres, which has not been handed over to it by IDCO. Meanwhile, the land allotted to Kestrel Gull Enterprises has been cancelled as the company backed out.