Bangalore, Aug. 10: IT major Infosys Technologies Ltd is planning to set up a new unit on a sprawling 300-acre plot near here and recruit around 8,000 to 10,000 people annually, CEO Nandan Nilekani said today.

Infosys has applied to the Karnataka government for the land to build a world-class campus, Nilekani told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting between IT bigwigs and the state government. “We are going ahead with the plan. Though there has been a delay on the part of the government,” he said. The new centre would be in addition to the existing one on the outskirts of the electronics city.

Infosys is also planning to expand its operations in Mysore and Mangalore. “We have applied to the state government for allotment of 50 acres in Mysore and 25 acres in Mangalore. The additional land will enable us to set up the largest IT campuses in these two secondary cities. These cities, along with Bangalore, will form an IT corridor for Infosys in coming years,” Nilekani said.

Infosys is committed to expand its presence in the state as it is on a hiring spree to cope with the 30-40 per cent annual growth rate projected by the company. “Bangalore and the state of Karnataka will face competition from other cities and states for a share of the IT pie in terms of investments and expansion plans. Sensing opportunities in IT and biotech sectors, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are aggressively promoting themselves as IT destinations with pro-industry policies and infrastructure facilities,” he said.

The state government and the IT industry must work in tandem to ensure that the global brand — Bangalore — is not diluted, he said. “Bangalore alone contributes about 50-60 per cent to the state’s GDP growth.