Amid pandemic, Telangana adds over 46,000 IT jobs

Employment in the IT/ITeS sector has increased by about 8 per cent in Telangana to reach 6,28,615 in 2020-2021.

46,489 new jobs were added in the middle of the pandemic during the last financial year, a state government report said.

“I am told this is significantly higher than the national average which is close to 2 per cent as per STPI number,” said IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao at the launch of the IT and Industries Department annual reports on Thursday.

“When Telangana state was formed (in June 2014), there were 3,23,000 employees in the IT/ ITeS sector. Today, the total employment in the IT sector is 6,28,615. We have added over three lakh new IT/ ITeS jobs over the last seven years,” the minister claimed.

According to Rao, in 2020-21, Telangana has developed 10 new industrial parks and allotted 810 acres of land to 453 industries with an expected investment of Rs 6,023 crore and a potential of 7,623 jobs.

“Telangana has once again recorded a phenomenal growth in the IT/ITeS Sector with an increase of 12.98 per cent in exports over the previous year, recording a total of Rs 1,45,522 crore. Our state has seen more than double the estimated average national growth rate.”

The growth is stated as substantial considering the Covid-19 pandemic's adverse impact on the economy. “Even by conservative estimates, Telangana’s IT/ ITES exports growth rate is poised to be over two times than that of the national average.”

On expanding IT/ITeS to Tier-II cities, the annual report said that IT Tower/Incubation Centre with 1,400 seats capacity is made operational in Warangal. Karimnagar IT Tower opened in July last year, with a built up space of 80,000 sq. ft. and 556 seats, hosts 18 IT companies.

19 IT companies are operating from the Khammam IT Tower inaugurated in December with a built up space of 41,250 sq.ft and 430 seats. “Construction of Phase II Tower, with 570 additional seats, was started as 31 more companies showed interest in setting up shop.”

Officials said that the construction of IT Towers at Nizamabad (50,000 sq. ft.), Mahabubnagar (60,000 sq. ft.) is nearing completion, while CM K Chandrashekar Rao has laid the foundation stone for another IT Tower at Siddipet (1,21,600 sq. ft.).

“IT towers are contemplated at Nalgonda (1,500 seats), Ramagundam (200 seats), Wanaparthy (250 seats).”