The government is set to roll out ‘Work Near Home’ (WNH) centres across the state to help IT professionals, startups and freelancers log in to modern facilities closer to their homes. The first such centre is nearing completion Kottarakkara and will launch operations soon.
The initiative aims to let techies and professionals in knowledge-based sectors work from modern, well-equipped centres in small towns and rural areas. The Kottarakkara centre, established in a BSNL-owned building near the Ganapathy temple, is being built for around Rs 5 crore.
The government leased the two-storey building, which now features state-of-the-art amenities, including conference and meeting rooms, a cafeteria, private and shared office spaces, Wi-Fi connectivity, CCTV surveillance, parking, toilets and drinking water. All rooms are fully air-conditioned and powered by solar energy.
“The Kottarakkara centre can accommodate around 180 professionals. The response has been very encouraging,” said Finance Minister K N Balagopal. “The government has earmarked Rs 50 crore to establish similar centres in every district. Private players coming forward with similar initiatives will be lent full support,” he said.
Senior officials said work on similar projects will soon be launched in Kalamassery (Ernakulam) and Ramanattukara (Kozhikode). “The aim is to set up such facilities in small towns and villages so that people can access affordable, high-quality workspaces near their homes and help spread the growth of the IT sector beyond major cities,” said an official.
Freelancers and startup founders have welcomed the project, calling it a major boost for professionals in non-urban areas. “Having access to a shared workspace would help me attend online meetings in a professional setup. If such centres come up across districts, it will be a great help for freelancers,” said Simon Antony, a freelancer from Kaduthuruthy.
Manu Kumar, who runs a security tech startup in Ernakulam, said, “The rent and operational costs in cities are too high. If the government provides such shared spaces in smaller towns, it will fuel an IT boom in many places and make it easier for our staff to find affordable accommodation nearby,” he said.
