Accentia to add 2,000 jobs at technolodges

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala IT department’s decision to roll out techno-lodges, making IT infrastructure available at the panchayat level, has
drawn instant interest from the industry, with Accentia Technologies announcing that it intends to add 2,000 jobs to be based out of these techno-lodges.

Accentia CEO Pradeep Viswambharan said his company planned to create these jobs across the villages of Kerala where the IT department and the local panchayats would develop requisite infrastructure for the IT industry. Healthcare receivables cycle management (HRCM) major Accentia, based at the Technopark here, had recently commenced operations from the UK, with the objective of tapping potential markets in Northern Ireland, England and Scotland.

The first two of the techno-lodges in Kerala, both located in Kollam district, have been fully taken up by Accentia Technologies. Mr Viswambharan said the company would base its production centres at these lodges and that all openings generated in these centres would be given to graduates from the respective villages.

He said the company was willing to take up more space at the upcoming techno-lodges, and that the political leadership had promised an environment free of hartals in these villages. Accentia has a presence in Oregon and New Jersey, US and in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE besides over half a dozen cities in India.

‘Technolodges’ opened in Kollam

Kollam: Two ‘technolodges,’ small IT service centres, were opened at Kadakkal and Perinad in Kollam district on Saturday, as part of the State government’s plan to push the spread of the information technology (IT) industry to the grassroots level.

The ‘technolodge’ scheme of the government seeks to facilitate the setting up of IT industry units in small towns and villages.

Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan, who inaugurated the facility at Kadakkal, said the scheme would help IT companies operate from low-cost rural centres and thereby create employment in rural areas.

“Today, this has seen fruition at Kadakkal and Perinad, and very soon, there will be more centres across the State,” Mr. Gurudasan said.

Under the scheme, the government plans to open 100 ‘technolodges’ across the State. Over 60 panchayats have already offered infrastructure to set up ‘technolodges.’

Technopark-based Accentia Technologies has taken over the ‘technolodges’ in Kollam and will start rolling out their services from these centres.

The 2,500-square-feet Kadakkal facility can seat 54 employees, while the 2,750-square-feet Perinad centre can accommodate 78.

Accentia plans to employ 250 professionals in the Kadakkal facility and 300 in Perinad tIN three shifts.

The State government has spent nearly Rs.20 lakh for refurbishing the building at Kadakkal and around Rs.3 million on the Perinad centre, officials said. “‘Technolodge’ has been set up with the objective to create low- cost alternative locations for BPO companies,” IT Secretary Ajay Kumar said. “Many IT companies in the State have already shown interest in the upcoming ‘technolodges’ as this initiative will provide local talent and lower cost opportunities.” — IANS