Hyderabad|India|June'2012: The Chief Minister Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy asked the officials to utilise the Advantage AP 2012 summit as a platform to showcase the state as the most preferred IT destination in the country. The Advantage AP 2012 summit which is being held at the HICC, Hyderabad on the 21st and 22nd of this month.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to find out ways to widen the scope for the students pursuing courses in IT, Computer Sciences and other engineering streams through skill development and training. These students should be imparted training and synchronized with the needs of the IT industry, he observed.

Referring to the Advantage AP summit, officials informed that the state attracts 10.05% of the nation's foreign direct investment (FDI), which amounts to INR 121 trillion. Andhra Pradesh's has registered an unparalleled growth in the field of information technology and business process outsourcing. Total export revenues earned by this sector have grown from INR 1000 crore (USD 56 million) in 1998-99 to INR 36,000 crore (USD 8.5 billion) in 2010-11, at a CAGR of 35%.

It is provisionally estimated that for the year 2011-12, the export performance of ICT Industry in the State of Andhra Pradesh would be around Rs.41,000 crores. The direct IT employment created by ICT Industry in the State is about 3.5 lakhs and it is a well known fact that one direct employment created in ICT Industry in turn would create four indirect employment in other services sectors.

The state generates over 30% of output of India's engineering talent through respected academic institutions like IIT, JNTU, IIIT, BITS, ISB, NIT etc. Hyderabad known for prestigious academic institutes and highest concentration of research labs and 17 public research institutions.

Andhra Pradesh, through its unique value proposition of cost effectiveness, abundant talent and maturing service delivery, has emerged as the cornerstone for this sector, steadily increasing its market share over the years. The state has been highlighted as a state with fast Government permissions, and clearances according to a World Bank Report on Doing Business.

The 2nd edition of Advantage AP is expected to have over 500 Business delegates representing IT Industry, IT Infrastructure developers and end users of IT Products and Services. The two day conference will have - the Inaugural Session, CEO Conclave-Roundtable discussions on emerging issues of IT Industry, the Panel sessions of Government of Andhra Pradesh covers e-Governance, Electronic Hardware, Infrastructure in AP, Product Showcase-over 80 IT and Electronic Hardware products will be presented.

The Chief Minister also wanted the officials to speed up the work relating to Mee Seva. The officials informed the Chief Minister that 95 per cent of land records have been computerised and 75% records have been digitally signed and stored in the main server.

Mr. Sachin Pilot, Union Minister of State, Sri M.V.Kamat, Chairman, Infosys & ICICI Bank; Sri Som Mittal, President, NASSCOM; Sri J.Satyanarayana, IAS, Secretary to GoI, DEIT; Sri Omkar Rai, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India, GoI, Regional Heads of TCS/Computer Associates/Genpact, will be participating as Delegates. Besides, the Secretaries from other States dealing with e-Governance projects are also attending. Two foreign nationals Mr.Mayasaki Samurai (HITACHI) from Japan and Mr. Leo Annab (Computer Associates) from US are participating.

-June 2012