Posts Tagged ‘Gandhinagar’
Forensic science univ flooded with applications!
Gujarat Forensic Sciences University (GFSU) at Gandhinagar is flooded with applications from India and abroad alike. So far, the university has received more than 2,000 applications against total 65 seats for its first academic year 2009-10 which will begin from July. Applications have poured in not only from Indian science graduates but also qualified scientists from countries, including Burma, Nepal, Hong Kong among others.
Real estate hogs state’s IT SEZ space (16 IT sez in Gujarat)
At least 12 out of the 16 proposals approved so far in Gujarat for setting up as many Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the IT segment have been bagged by real estate companies that have scarcely little to do with IT or related areas.
The implications are obvious against the background of DLF Ltd, India’s largest real estate developer, successfully getting its IT SEZ in Delhi de-notified by the government even after its in-principle approval as an IT SEZ project. This would now enable the company to use 25 acres of land that the government provided for the IT SEZ, for real estate development. With 16 already approved, IT SEZs will corner the largest chunk of the total 60 to come up in Gujarat.
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Symbiosis plans campus near Ahmedabad!
After Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A) and the National Institute of Design (NID), Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Nirma Univercity & Petroleum University now Symbiosis International University (SIU) has now decided to set up a fully-residential academic campus near Ahmedabad, with an initial focus on infotech (IT) and engineering courses.
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MoUs worth Rs 30,000 crore during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit’s Day 1!
444 Mous pledged worth Rs 7,48,970 crore on power, economic zones, tourism, water management among others on Day 1!
MoUs worth at least Rs 7 lakh crore are likely to be signed during the two-day investors’ meet With the state government dishing out new sops, the IT (Information Technology) and ITeS (Information Technology Enabled Service) sectors are likely to steal the show at the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Meet from January 12.
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IT companies line up at Raheja, DLF SEZs in Gujarat
Gujarat may have missed the IT/ITES bus earlier, but the two upcoming IT/ITES SEZs by K Raheja Corp and DLF are all set to drive the growth of the industry here. As many as 50 companies are likely to set up shops in the two parks coming up in Gandhinagar.
“Leading IT players like IBM, Oracle, Syntel, Accenture, Patni Computers and CSC are exploring the state for setting up their operations in the SEZ area, according to sources in state government. We are aiming to draw companies like GE, IBM, Cognizant, Genpact, Mphasis and Symantec who have been our clients,” said an official of DLF on conditions of annonymity.
Apart from software companies, financial institutions and banks like HSBC, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, Otis, Meryll Lynch, Deutsche Bank, HCFC, Countrywide, many of which are clients of K Raheja Corp, are also looking at the state for setting up their operations, said sources close to the development. K Raheja Corp’s Mindspace IT SEZ is coming up in a sprawling space of over 97 acres at Koba near Gandhinagar for an estimated investment of Rs 1200-1500 crore. The phase one of the project will be completed early next year and space will be available for possession from January onwards.
“The real estate prices in Ahmedabad are very attractive as compared to other IT destinations in the country. Besides, DLF and Raheja have been allotted land by the state government at very nominal prices so they can lease it out at a much more competitive price. This will also give a huge boost to the export rate of the state, which has been growing at over 50 per cent CAGR for the past three to four years,” said government sources.
An official of Raheja said they have been in talks with various companies however he refused to divulge names. DLF is setting up Rs 850-crore SEZ in Gujarat which will come up over 25 acres at Gandhinagar near Infocity. “A few multinationals are evaluating the state and conducting studies. However, it will take about 6-8 months before they can make a decision to move in,” said Amit Grover VP- Corporate Marketing. DLF will also offer space of even 5,000 sq ft for lease to accomodate local players including even entrepreneurs, he added.
Although there are close to a dozen IT SEZs coming up in Gujarat, Raheja would be the first to commence operations commercially followed by DLF looking at the work done currently, government sources added.
List of IT-ITeS SEZs in Gujarat
IT/ITeS SEZs arena hots up in Gujarat
4 new SEZs approved, three notified in last three months
Gujarat is moving ahead on the IT/ITeS special economic zones (SEZs) front. In last three months the state has seen three IT special zones being notified and four new proposals getting Centre’s nod. In addition, the state government is also considering at least two more applications for such economic zones. With the latest developments, the number of IT SEZs which have received formal approval or notification has touched 15 (see table).
The latest ones to get notified include Mindspace IT SEZ of Aqualine Properties Pvt Ltd (Raheja Group), DLF SEZ by DLF Commercial Developers and Shivganga SEZ by Ahmedabad-based City Gold Group.
Interestingly, all of these recently notified zones are in Gandhinagar. Moreover, these IT/ITeS SEZs are the ones for which MoUs were singed during the IT summit 2007. City Gold Group got an IT/ITeS SEZ notified in Ahmedabad in January this year. The company has joined hands with Pune-based Vascon Engineers for developing the SEZ. Managing director of City Gold, Sanjay Agrawal said that they are yet to select partner for the new project whose development cost is estimated at Rs450-500 crore. On the other hand, DLF has already started construction on the SEZ site. Chief executive, infrastructure, DLF Commercial Developers, YK Tyagi said, “First block will be completed by the end of this year. Then every six months a new block will be added.”
District-wise Ahmedabad has six IT/ITeS special regions, two notified, while rest have been formally approved. Gandhinagar houses six such SEZs but four of them have already been notified and are in the various stages of development. Vadodara though has got three formally approved; two of them got the permission in June and July this year.
According to director STPI, Gandhinagar, and development commissioner for the Gujarat IT SEZs, Ajay Kumar, after two years lot of space will become available to IT companies in the state. However, a lot would depend on Centre’s decision on tax exemptions provided under the STPI scheme, Sharma said. According to industry experts, around 50 square feet is required per employee. So, there are rare chances of surplus space, given the fact several major companies are driving into the state apart moderate growth of local companies.