TN has unique distinction of 80 per cent IT workforce being local: Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has the unique distinction of having 80 per cent of the employees in the information technology sector from the state, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said on Tuesday.

The government remains committed towards fostering ease of doing business for companies which are already here, he said at an event here.

"Tamil Nadu's strength lies in its unparalleled technology talent, with 20 per cent of India's technology professionals hailing from the state," he said in his inaugural address at the 22nd edition of the two-day Connect 2024 organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Chennai, here.

The key priorities for this government include skilling the graduating talent and integrating them into the workforce through the ICT Academy and establishing policies for research and development, deep technology, building a skilled and stable local workforce, he said.

ICT Academy is an initiative by the Government of India that has been established in collaboration with the state governments to train students on academic knowledge and industry relevant skills.

"Tamil Nadu has allowed startups to offer technology solutions without going through the traditional tender process, fostering faster innovation," he said.

Highlighting the robust infrastructure available in the country, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Director V Mahadesha said, "With a clear vision for growth, the target is set to establish 400 Global Capability Centres by 2027, driving innovation, employment and economic transformation in the state." The Chairman and Managing Director of IT major Cognizant India, Rajesh Varrier said, "Tamil Nadu, with its robust education system, rich talent pool, thriving tech industry and supportive government policies, is uniquely positioned to become the AI (Artificial Intelligence) hub of India." "The Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence Mission aiming to improve the efficiency and accessibility of public services, and the innovative Digital Agricultural mission using drones and AI for soil health are some of the advancements that highlights the state's growing AI Ecosystem," Varrier who is also the EVP, Global Head of Operations, Cognizant said.

CII Connect 2024, Chairman Srivats Ram said the internet penetration in Tamil Nadu sets a benchmark for the rest of the country as 12,525 village panchayats have access to Optical Fibre Network (OFN) that provides 1GBPS high speed internet.

"Tamil Nadu is the third largest software exporting state in the country, with the Information Technology sector contributing significantly to the state's GDP" Ram said.

The global AI industry is pegged to reach USD 826.7 billion market by 2030 and Tamil Nadu, with its thriving ecosystem, is poised to play a significant role, CII Southern Region Chairperson R Nandini said in her address.