Kolkata, Jan 16 (PTI) West Bengal's IT sector is poised for a major expansion with investments of around Rs 30,000 crore lined up in the state's flagship silicon valley project, IT secretary Shubhanjan Das said on Friday, outlining an aggressive push into artificial intelligence, data centres and global capability centres.

Addressing an ASSOCHAM-STPI event here, Das said the 250-acre silicon valley project is progressing at a "fantastic pace" and is expected to generate at least 7,500 jobs.

"So far, 41 companies have already been allotted land, and physical inspections show construction is moving very fast, and we are expecting an investment of Rs 30,000 crore" he said, adding that the project is a key pillar of the state's long-term digital roadmap.

The IT secretary said the state's technology footprint has expanded beyond Kolkata to centres such as Siliguri and Durgapur.

The state currently has 32 government IT parks and over 60 private IT parks, housing more than 2,800 IT and IT-enabled services companies and employing over two lakh people, he said.

Highlighting the state's growing capabilities in advanced computing, Das said West Bengal now ranks sixth in India in terms of data centre capacity, with 11 private data centres already operational.

He pointed to the state-run Siliguri data centre, which has high-end infrastructure including 40 H100 Nvidia GPU chips and around 40 L100 chips.

In a significant move aimed at boosting innovation, Das said the state government is finalising a proposal to allow private companies to access this infrastructure for AI training and model building.

"We are open to ideas and collaboration, and you would be most welcome in the near future," he told industry representatives at the Assocham meet.

On exports, the secretary said the state has seen "phenomenal" growth in software shipments, which have risen from around Rs 8,000 crore about 15 years ago to over Rs 40,000 crore now.

He said the IT department would act as a single-window facilitator to resolve inter-departmental issues and ensure faster project execution.

"Any expansion proposal will be welcomed, and we will hand-hold to make sure projects take off smoothly," he said.

Das also underlined the importance of diversity in the IT ecosystem, praising companies that actively employ women and the differently abled, which he said creates "very positive vibes" for the state's industrial culture.

Speaking at the event, Sushil Mohta, chairman of World Trade Center (WTC), Salt Lake, said Bengal is emerging as a strong destination for GCCs due to its academic institutions, deep talent pool and improving infrastructure.

"We need to market ourselves better and showcase our achievements to position the state as a GCC destination, particularly in Europe," he said, adding that secure, smart and sustainable ecosystems are critical for long-term growth.

Mohta said WTC Salt Lake plays a crucial role in building a globally connected business ecosystem for technology companies, GCCs and startups.

At the event, STPI Kolkata honoured leading software exporting companies from the state across various categories, including firms with exports above Rs 5 crore.

Tata Consultancy Services received the IT Ratna award for the highest software exports from West Bengal. TCS currently employs an all-inclusive workforce of around 54,000-55,000 people in the state. PTI BSM MNB

West Bengal IT sector opens state data centre access to private firms and facilitates Rs30,000 crore silicon valley investments. West Bengal is advancing a Rs 30,000 crore silicon valley project prioritising AI, data centres and global capability centres, with 41 firms allotted land on a 250 acre site. The state will finalise a proposal to allow private companies access to the state run Siliguri data centre's high end GPU infrastructure for AI training, and the IT department will act as a single window facilitator to expedite clearances and support project expansion.