?With a growth of over 22.7% in exports, amounting to Rs 731 crore, from Chandigarh-based IT/ITES companies, the city is fast emerging as a comprehensive ecosystem for development of the information and communication technology sector,? said Partap K Aggarwal, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry, Chandigarh Council, on Friday.

He said the growth of this sector is also a testimony to the increase in city-based entrepreneurs. The trend is expected to be more favourable with the inauguration of the Entrepreneur Development Centre soon. He added that te CII would encourage its members to use the facilities available at the EDC.

Aggarwal mentioned that Chandigarh is the employment node for the entire northern region, known for its entrepreneurial skills and perseverance, qualities that are targeted by companies of the new economy. Many professionals who migrated to other parts of the country or the globe are now aspiring to come back to this region due to the growth potential available here.

He said at the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (RGCTP) alone, there are over 40 companies operational, with many more operational from various SCOs, resulting in over 10,000 jobs even during recession.

Elaborating on the initiatives taken by the CII for the development of the sector, Aggarwal mentioned that CII has formed a forum of IT CEOs that provides a platform for its IT/ITES member companies in Chandigarh to work on their internal and external competence. The meetings, organised frequently, involve extensive discussions on vision and mission of the organisation, business orientation, consultancy approach, customer satisfaction level and its achievement methods, HR practices and planning.

CII has also organized business development meets for the sector with USA, European Union, Czech Republic and Australia in the past year. Business missions to France and Germany were also organised, which has helped IT companies enhance their business, he added.

?With all its modern facilities and adequate space, the city is an ideal place for development of the ICT sector,? reiterated Sameer Jain, a CII member and CEO of Net Solutions, which is operating out of RGCTP.