Pune: Encyclopedia II - Pune - Economy

Pune - Economy

Pune is a major industrial centre, growing exceedingly in Detroit-like manner every year. It is home to one of the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturers, — Bajaj Auto. The world's second largest forging company Bharat Forge Ltd is also in Pune. It is also home to Kinetic Engineering, Force Motors (previously known as Bajaj Tempo). The manufacturing plant of India's largest car manufacturer, Tata Motors, is in Pune. DaimlerChrysler also has an assembly line for its Mercedes Benz brand in Pune. Cummins Engines Co Ltd has a Research & Technology India center in Pune in addition to its manufacturing plant. Whirlpool as well as LG have appliance manufacturing plants near Pune. Frito Lay and Coca Cola also have manufacturing plants in Pune. Pune is also home to numerous small and medium-sized enterprises.

Pune has a burgeoning software industry. Many of India's major software players such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Mahindra British Telecom, Mastek Ltd., Persistent Systems as well as smaller ones like Patni Computer Systems and Kale Consultants, Kanbay Software, Cybagehave their presence in Pune. Global majors like HSBC Global Technology, PTC, IBM, Sybase, EDS, I-Flex, Cognizant, Sasken, KPIT Cummins Infosystems Inc., Amdocs, Avaya, Veritas Software, Aftek Infosys, Syntel, Zensar and TIBCO Software have a major presence in Pune's various Software Technology Parks and other areas.

Pune is also emerging as a prominent city for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies. Companies like Convergys, WNS, Progeon, EXL and MphasiS have started their operations in Pune. Pune comes as a natural choice for the BPO companies due to the availability of skilled manpower.

Pune also houses the headquarters of the Bank Of Maharashtra.

With the construction of the six-lane Mumbai-Pune Expressway, a far cry from the contraflow motorways of other State Roads, this city is now about a three-hour drive from Mumbai by road.

To meet the demands of this explosive economic growth in Pune, the state is planning a 1,000 MW power plant exclusively for Pune. From December 2005, Pune's Lohegaon Airport has gone international with Air India flying directly to Dubai, and to Singapore via Hyderabad. MIDC is the lead agency for the Project. An International Convention Center is also underway at the Senapati Bapat Road and is being constructed by MCCIA. The international connectivity is going to help many volume produce growers in the surrounding districts to export their goods conveniently.

Notably, even though Pune is the seventh largest city in India, it has the sixth largest metropolitan economy and the highest per capita income in India, with the least income disparity between the rich and poor.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Economy", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki