Sri Lanka can take a cue from Technopark’s growth: MP
Shri Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, Hon'ble MP of Sri Lanka leads delegation to Technopark
Trivandrum / February 9, 2024
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb. 09: Sri Lanka can follow the growth strategies of Technopark and collaborate with IT companies from India to burgeon its nascent IT sector to benefit the island nation, said Shri Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, MP and Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today.
Shri Dissanayaka was speaking at an interaction with Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO of Technopark, while leading a delegation to Technopark here.
The programme was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of lndia.
Noting that policy inconsistency creates a lot of problems in Sri Lanka’s IT sector, Shri Dissanayaka lauded the state government’s intervention and initiatives in building an immaculate IT ecosystem in Kerala, besides acknowledging the growth of Technopark.
“Sri Lanka’s IT sector contributes only US $1.2 billion to the country’s GDP. Since we have identified the IT sector as a key and thriving area, collaborations with Technopark would be a good strategy for long-term achievement,” he said.
JVP is the largest party under the broad entity National People’s Power (NPP) in Sri Lanka.
Commenting that currently Sri Lanka has a few IT/ITeS platforms, Shri Dissanayaka said NPP had set the target of increasing the contribution of the IT sector to the GDP to US$10 billion in eight years. Highlighting that India plays a major role in the global IT industry, Shri Dissanayaka said collaboration and understanding with India is going to benefit Sri Lanka in building its IT ecosystem.
Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO of Technopark, gave an insight about the IT ecosystem in Kerala, besides delineating the achievements of Technopark.
Elaborating on the initiatives of the state government, Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd) said Sri Lanka can adopt measures to ensure ease of doing business, fostering startup ecosystem by giving them various domain specific challenges to be addressed by latest innovative technological trends, besides improving mobility, leveraging the availability of talent and developing a sound social fabric to emerge as an IT hub.
The CEO added that at the inception stage of Technopark, the state government’s farsighted and visionary approach in identifying suitable land parcels, evolving an organisation like Technopark to manage and implement infrastructure developmental activities and adopting various incentives paved way for a resilient IT park that we see today.
The other visiting Sri Lankan delegation included Shri Vijitha Herath, MP; Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, Secretary, NPP; a Prof. Anil Jayantha, Member, Economic Council, NPP.
Shri Eldos Mathew Punnoose, Counsellor, High Commission of India, Colombo; Shri Chityala Mahesh, Liaison Officer, ICCR; Shri Sreekumar, Secretary, GTECH and Centre Head, Tata Elxsi, Shri Madhavan Praveen, GM, Projects, Technopark; Shri Abhilash D S, Manager, IR & Admin, Technopark; and a few industry leaders were also present.
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