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ow that Gujarat is looking at IT and learning to embrace technology in its
day-to–day governance, it is also time for the Government to consider the
possibility of making info-centers out of its key cities. Information technology must not
be confined to just one or two centers. It should be all pervasive and spread across all
the major cities and townships of Gujarat.The Government, as a first step, should take a
decision to develop at least five info-cities in the next two years and may be ten by 2005.
These could include the following :
Rajkot:
Rajkot is one city which has the potential of becoming a world-class
software center. A spirit of entrepreneurship drives Rajkot which has already taken
strides in the IT segment and boasts a substantial base of infotech companies.
At least 25 well managed IT units exist in this city and many more are in the
pipeline. Provided Rajkot is equipped with the relevant infrastructure, it could
become an IT savvy city.
Vadodara
:
The most cosmopolitan city of Gujarat, Vadodara has all the prerequisites
which global level e-cities should have. Most importantly, it has the MS University
which is producing world–class knowledge workers. What Vadodara now needs is
an international airport (to place it on the world map and to allow global companies
and investors to access it directly), an earth station, a KU band uplink and a healthy
dose of determination to make it an e-city.
Surat:
The dynamism that characterizes Surat and its close proximity to India’s business
capital, Mumbai are the two key strengths of this most important of Gujarat cities. From
Mumbai, both Pune and Surat are equidistant, and the manner in which Pune has come
up in the area of IT can provide a road map for Surat to follow.The Government can try
and develop a similar environment in Surat.
Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar:
Most of the development in the IT sector in Gujarat
is happening in this corridor. What we now require is an IIT, or an IIIT to further
build on the IT manpower strengths of these twin cities.
The fifth City:
Choose any one : Cities such as Mehsana, Porbandar, Bhavnagar,
Anand, Bharuch, Valsad and Godhra can certainly be developed into info townships.
What is required here are nodal officers to set into motion the IT-fication process in
conjunction with the local industry.
n
The Times of India, Ahmedabad January 22, 2001
“
A Tale of Five Cities for the IT Revolution”
