Panaji, Oct 15 (IANS): About 82 percent of the 1,000-odd information technology (IT) graduates from Goa's technical education institutions have to migrate for jobs, a top official of a leading trade body said Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) president Manguirish Pai Raikar said that a synergy between the state government and IT industries, which are the primary employers for IT graduates, would go a long way in arresting the "brain drain", which was primarily caused by the dearth of jobs in the state.

"82 percent of our IT graduates have to leave Goa to get jobs in other cities like Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad or Chennai or fly overseas for jobs. We need more companies related to the IT industry to set up shop here," Raikar said.

The official said that the figure was arrived at after a survey conducted by the GCCI in association with the Goa Institute of Management (GIM), a top management school in the state.

Raikar said the GCCI was hosting a seminar next month where top IT companies in India would be exchanging notes with the state government and trade officials to create more IT-related job opportunities.

"The seminar will emphasise on the scope and feasibility to establish IT industries in the state," Raikar said.

Goa at present has a handful of IT companies like Tata Consultancy Services Limited, Digisol, D-Link and Persistent Systems, to name a few.

Raikar said Goa's educational profile, with a literacy percentage in the 90s, familiarity of the local population with English and ready infrastructure would make a good pitch for IT companies which want to start operations here.

"IT is an environment friendly industry. We should take every step necessary to ensure that we attract the IT names here," Raikar said.