Azim Premji calls on Naidu - TeluguPeople.com News

Hyderabad, July 27 (INN): WIPRO Chairman Azim Premji along with his team met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here on Sunday and discussed WIPRO Business Plans in the residuary State.

In the meeting, IT Minister Dr. Palle Raghunatha Reddy IT Advisor J Satyanarayana, Industries & Commerce Secretary J.S.V. Prasad, ITE&C Secretary Sanjay Jaju, APIIC Eexcutive Director Satyanarayana and ITE&C Joint Director P.S.Murthy were also present.

The WIPRO team comprised of Shireesh Sahai, Director, Govt Business, Wipro GE Health Care, South Asian Countries. S N Prakash, Regional Business Head, Govt Business, Tamilnadu, Telangana & Andhra Pradesh and Hari Prasad Hegde, Senior Vice President & Global Head of Operations - IT Business.

Dr Azim Premji informed the Chief Minister that Wipro is a global IT major which offers services in IT services and consulting. "Our services span financial services, retail, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare services, energy and utilities, technology, telecom and media.

WIPRO is top 5 IT company in the country. WIPRO has presence in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. It has an export turnover of Rs 3500 crores and an employee base of more than 10,000 people," he briefed the Chief Minister.

WIPRO was given 7.14 acres of land in Visakhapatnam at Rs. 80 lakhs per acre on outright sale basis in 2004-05 with an employment commitment of 2,500.

Out of this, the company has constructed 2 lakh sft in 4 acres area and presently around 650 professionals are working in the Vizag campus. Dr Azim Premji has now requested for NOC to develop SEZ in balance 3.1 acres area, construct 5 lakh sft and create an employment of 6,400 over the next five years from the date of SEZ approval.

The Chief Minister immediately agreed to the request of Dr Azim Premji, for according NOC to develop SEZ in balance 3.1 acres are out of the 7.14 acres of land already allotted to them in Vizag, as WIPRO's presence with significant operations and enhanced number of IT employees in Vizag would boost not only the existing IT companies but also result in more no of IT companies coming forward and setup their operations in Visakhapatnam. In this background the move of WIPRO to ramp up its operations by employing additional 6400 people over the next 5 years in Vizag is worth consideration.

The Chief Minister while appreciating the activities of Azim Premji Foundation, requested Azim Premji to expand their operations to other locations in the new State of Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati, Vijayawada and Kakinada.

He also requested the Azim Premji Foundation to offer their Graduate and Post-graduate programs to AP students, and subsequently absorb them into their organization. The Foundation should help State on curriculum, assessment, educational leadership and anagement, policy issues and advocacy.

"The Foundation should start Concept schools and provide quality free education to the local community, develop new and innovative FONTS in Telugu language for localization and content development," requested Naidu.

Reacting to this, Azim Premji assured that the Wipro was committed to provide additional employment of 7,000 in Vizag over next five years and further expand their operations in a big way.

He also assured to enhance the activity of Training the Teachers in Primary Education, Undertake Anganwadi Training and Awareness programs in health care for protection and augmenting women and child welfare schemes and start Training Institute for training Technicians in Health Care on medical devices such as CT Scan, MRI, Ultrasound, etc.

He also expressed interest in setting up soap manufacturing and Fatty acids Manufacturing Plant near Hindupur and requested for allotment of 50 acres of land.

Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the proposals of Dr. Azim Premji and solicited the support of WIPRO in developing the new State of Andhra Pradesh.