- It aims to increase software exports from the country by 12-14 per cent during the current financial year
- The centres will be established at a cost of Rs 400 crore [or US$56.7 million approx]
Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) will set up 28 centres of excellence (CoEs) in different parts of the country in the next 18 months to boost software exports, according to its Director General Omkar Rai.
The centres would act as unique platforms to provide appropriate ecosystems and opportunities to budding talents and entrepreneurs for launching innovative ventures, Rai told PTI during a visit to Odisha.
The CoEs are being set up in places such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Mohali, Hyderabad and Gurgaon.
Over half-a-dozen such centres will be opened in the north-eastern region. Four of these proposed centres would be located in Odisha, he said.
Some of these centres are already in the process of being operational.
Collaborative venture
More than Rs 400 crore [or US$56.7 million approx] will be invested to start centres.
It is a collaborative venture and investments for the projects will flow from the concerned state Governments, Union Electronics and IT Ministry, industries and STPI’s own funds, Rai said.
The centres will focus on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), medical electronics, legal technologies, Internet of Things (IoT), IoT in agriculture and automotive electronics, the STPI chief noted.
India’s software exports
The STPI has also chalked out strategies to raise the volume of exports by STP units from around Rs 4.16 lakh crore in 2018-19, by 12-14 per cent during the current fiscal.
The society is also collaborating with the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) to set up an ‘Electropreneur Park’ which is aimed at supporting 50 startups working on electronics product designing and development over next five years.
The initiative is a subset of the government’s ‘Make in India’ mission, aligned with entrepreneurial and innovation focus, Rai said.
