Tech Mahindra plans Rs500-cr upgrade of its Orissa IT facility

Tech Mahindra, India's fifth-largest software services firm, has lined up Rs500 crore for investment in Odisha over next five to seven years.

''We would like to take additional space for 5,000 people. We have plans to invest Rs500 crore over the next five to seven years in Odisha,'' C P Gurnani, chief executive officer and managing director of Tech Mahindra, reporters in the state capital of Bhubaneshwar.

Gurnani said the new jobs would include technical associates, data scientists, and business analysts among others.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a new block in its existing campus to house 615 more IT professionals taking the total headcount in the state to 1,111. The new block is built at a cost of Rs 55 crore.

State IT minister Pranab Prakash Das said the government and Tech Mahindra are in talks for developing a second campus at the proposed Infovalley, located on the outskirts of the city.

The software firm, which crossed $10 billion market capitalisation in December, employs around 100,000 persons and provides customer services to more than 650 clients globally. The company today said it is ready to contribute for the development of Bhubaneswar into a digital city.

The state government has already announced a spend of around Rs5,000 crore from the state budget in next five years towards development of IT/ ITes and ESDM (electronic system design and manufacturing) sectors.

To start with, the state government has decided to make the entire Bhubaneswar City WiFi enabled. For implementing the project, the state IT department has engaged Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) as the consultant.

''I am happy that today Tech Mahindra is adding a new block to its existing centre which will add 615 seats. I was informed that Tech Mahindra is currently operating in Bhubaneswar with 600 IT professionals working for global customers across the IT value chain from consulting to support services. I hope Tech Mahindra will continue to expand its growth and employment contribution in Bhubaneswar in future,'' Chief Minister Naveen Pathaik said after inaugurating the block.