KTR to make Hyderabad top-notch IT destination

• Minister holds interactive session with IT industry captains
• Intend to encourage professionals to create applications like Facebook and WhatsApp
• Seeks help from industry in TASK programme to train students

Hyderabad: The Telangana government will do 'everything and anything' to make Hyderabad a top-notch IT destination in the entire nation, Information and Technology Minister K Tarakarama Rao said on Friday. He sought the help of IT industry captains in the wonderful growth story envisioned by his government. Rao was speaking at an interactive session organised by the government with managements of over 150 IT companies at a city hotel.

He outlined his government's plans on the IT sector in the next five years to ensure that Hyderabad surpasses other leading IT cities like Bangalore and Chennai.

The Minister briefed the gathering about multidimensional programme the government focused its attention to attract investment. One is establishing India's biggest incubator facility, the first phase of which would be launched in six months time, rolling out TASK (Telangana Academy of Skill and Knowledge) to churn out readily employable graduates to industry and the third one is transforming Hyderabad into a Wi-Fi enabled city.

'We want to create technology eco-system that could nurture research, development and inventions. We not only want programmers but IT professionals who can think along lines of creating world renowned applications like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. This incubator facility would give IT professionals the opportunity to work on ideas and develop big things'

He sought the help of IT companies in TASK project, which could adopt colleges and train students studying in second or third year with industry required soft skills and technical skills. This could be a win-win situation for companies, students and even engineering colleges.

He further said that they would like to work with National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) project of the Centre to make sure that every citizen, especially in rural areas, becomes computer literate.

Not only IT, we would like to make Hyderabad as a hub for gaming, animation and hardware etc. He said that landscape of the state capital would go through a sea change with the grounding of ITIR project in the next 20 years. The population is likely to be tripled with this project and our Chief Minister had already directed officials to come out with an excellent master plan for structured growth of the city, he said.

TRS government is planning to take up major expansions on IT front by setting up new centres in tier-2 and tier-3 cities apart from Hyderabad, he added.

The Minister said with stable governments and decisive leadership both at the State and the Centre, good days are in store for Hyderabad.

Principal Secretary (IT) Harpreet Singh, GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar, and Cyberabad police commissioner C V Anand among other officials also took part.