Bhubaneswar, Nov. 7: The Odisha government will give a boost to the software sector by renewing its invitation to IT companies to invest here.

Odisha information and technology secretary Madhu Sudan Padhi said: “We have requested the HCL to come and invest in Odisha. The government will provide all kinds of assistance to the companies coming to the state.”

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has also reviewed the IT sector’s performance. “The chief minister has directed us to go ahead full steam for development of this sector,” said Padhi.

Padhi told The Telegraph that the Odisha government had also approached the Aditya Birla Group to invest in the software sector. Sources said the company was likely to respond to the government’s request.

The group has an alumina plant in Odisha.

The Odisha government also aims to create 50,000 jobs in the IT sector by 2017. “The Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) is doing well in Odisha. At present, they have a strength of 1,200, which is likely to touch 9,000 within two years.”

Mind Tree has also revived its interest in Odisha.

“We will provide all support in the Info City-I project, and the works for the Info City-II is going apace,” he said, adding that the government was also working to create more space in the Odisha Computer Application Centre’s tower for the companies. Now, the government is providing space to companies in Idco’s Fortune tower.

The IT secretary said a delegation of the Odisha government had met CEOs of nearly 25 companies in Bangalore last month and asked them to come to Odisha. Now, seven departments such as revenue, finance, general administration, co-operative, food and civil supplies are using the IT technology as a governance tool.

“There is a lot of scope to enhance the revenue base of the state by exporting software. Software exports from Odisha have grown by 15 per cent in 2010-11 compared to the previous year,” an official said.

Infosys is the biggest software exporter from the state accounting for almost 70 per cent of the total exports in 2010-11. It is followed by the TCS, which set up its campus in the city a couple of years ago. The software export from Odisha is expected to cross Rs 1,500 crore mark next year and Rs 2,000 crore in 2013-14 which is set to give a major boost to the growth of this sector in Odisha.