Date:20/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/20/stories/2007042003260600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TCS signs pact with A.P. Government on SEZ

Special Correspondent

For allotment of 75 acres for setting up a centre

HYDERABAD: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the State Government signed a memorandum of understanding here on Thursday for the allotment of a 75-acre land at Adibatla village in Ibrahimpatnam mandal in Ranga Reddy district for establishing a development centre.

This stretch of land is part of a special economic zone (SEZ), promoted by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). The MoU was signed by IT Secretary of the State Government S. K. Joshi and regional head of TCS V. Rajanna.

Welcoming the TCS initiative, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy called upon the IT companies to support the Government in improving education standards in the State-run junior colleges in the rural areas as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Later addressing a press conference, Chief Financial Officer of TCS S. Mahalingam said that the new development centre would be built with a capacity of 15,000 seats and 15 lakh square feet in a phased manner by 2013. The investment towards the construction alone was estimated at Rs. 400 crore. There would be many other technological investments in the centre as the company's operations increased. The TCS had 5,000 employees in Hyderabad centre and it was proposing to add another facility at Gachibowli in the city to accommodate 2,500 employees additionally in the current financial year. Emphasis would be laid on bioinformatics and life-sciences.

The technology platforms, including Microsoft, Java, SAP and Oracle, and services like business intelligence, software testing and engineering and industrial service would be used for serving the customers.

The company would have at least 25,000 employees in Hyderebad in a few years from now, Mr. Mahalingam said.