Good news for jobseekers in West Bengal as Infosys begins work on project
In December last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the IT major would commence work in Rajarhat New Town from July 2021 and it would be complete in two years
Infosys has started work on its first project in Bengal, state government officials confirmed on April 12. The IT bellwether has started groundwork for its data centre project in Rajarhat, a satellite township bordering Kolkata where the state government is building an IT hub like the one in neighbouring Salt Lake.
Though the initial employment generated from this project is expected to be around 1,500-2,000, when running to full capacity, the project seeks to employ around 5,000 people, though it would be about one-tenth of the software development park originally planned by the company.
The initial investment is about Rs 100 crore.
The 50-acre plot allotted to Infosys is located in the heart of New Town IT hub. “I hope Infosys is on time to start the project in New Town, Kolkata. We are extending all possible help to them,” said Debasish Sen, chairman of Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation, the agency that is in charge of shaping Rajarhat.
In December last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the IT major would commence work in Rajarhat New Town from July 2021 and it would be complete in two years.
The story of Infosys investment in West Bengal is one of tussle with the state over granting SEZ status.
Aggressively wooed by the former Left Front government, the company had initially planned to invest in a software park with SEZ status. The company had also made part payment for the land but could not complete formalities for the SEZ status since the Left Front government was routed in the 2011 assembly elections.
Banerjee’s policy of no SEZ became an obstacle for the project. Though there were no settlers in the plot of land given to the company, the state government decided not to recommend SEZ status for the company to the Centre.
After negotiations down the years, Infosys authorities decided to settle for a data centre project and not the software development park that was originally planned, which would have generated around 50,000 jobs.