Sources said it was vitally important that the state came up with ways to make more land available to IT companies at Rajarhat so that infrastructure hurdles did not derail Bengal's ambition of emerging as a tech hotspot.

"I am sure that you trying hard to see that the actual situation on the ground becomes even more conducive for the growth of the industry," Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said in a recent email to the IT department.

The state has decided to establish a `knowledge corridor'at Rajarhat and reserve 120 acre for this purpose in the first phase in order to meet its aspirations of becoming a force to reckon with in the IT arena.

Exports from the city's software technology park jumped to Rs 1,360 crore in April-December 2004. Exports from this facility stood at Rs 1,211 crore in 2003-04.

The IT department is hopeful that 2005-06 would prove a much better year, with all companies on an expansion mode. Growth is also expected to be boosted by Satyam Computer Services starting operations here later this year.