Assam to have Pro People and Pro Business IT policy: Guv 

EP NEWS SERVICE 

Guwahati, August 28: Governor S.C. Mathur today disclosed to a gathering of IT experts, academia and corporate top brasses that the Assam government was giving a "pro-people and pro-business touch" to its IT policy that is presently under revision. 

Taking a subtle dig at those who paint a bleak picture of the state vis-à-vis law and order, Mathur exhorted IT leaders, private entrepreneurs and corporate houses to     participate freely and without fear in the state while spelling out what it was doing on the IT front. 

Mathur was speaking at NICT 2008, the biggest IT conference of the Northeast organised by The Telegraph.      

Highlighting the achievements of the state government, the governor dwelt on the setting up a technology park near Borjhar to launching the NASSCOM Assessment of Competence (NAC) --  an assessment-cum-certification program for candidates who aspire to be a part of the ITES-BPO industry -- in 17 of the state's 27 districts. It is aimed at creating a robust and continuous pipeline of talent by transforming the "trainable" workforce into an "employable" workforce. 

" Our government will back any such initiative to the hilt, As the head of my government I can say with conviction that the situation in Assam is much better than in most other states. There are problems but it is true of all places. If a proper development strategy is adopted and followed these can be resolved in due course. Assam is doing exactly -- pursuing peace and development side by side. Your help will only expedite these process," Mathur said.  

Assam IT minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today announced that there would no longer be any bar on vertical limit for the buildings in the city if it was used to house IT industry. He said the government would soon come up with an amendment in the Huwahati Master Plan to lift the vertical restriction.     

"We want to have IT revolution in Assam . Even if companies do not come, we will ourselves (government) will do it. There will be 15 engineering colleges in the state in the next four years which will be a feed stock to the prospective IT companies who will set up bases here," Sarma said. 

DD Purkayastha, Managing Director & CEO, ABP Pvt Limited and Organising Secretary, NICT 2008, while recalling the group's close association with the region, observed that NICT was yet another extension of this relationship. " Spawned from a need to increase awareness about the benefits of IT enablement in an area with abundant talent , natural resources , strtegic location and tremendous market potential, NICT has done that and more today. It has created a niche for itself as the premier ICT event in the northeast," he said.   

Amitabha Datta, president, Dailies, ABP Pvt Ltd, offered the vote of thanks to the sponsors and the participants.       

Secretary North Eastern Council Falguni Rajkumar speaking at a session on "Enabling the Northeast" urged the IT bosses, "You take one step forward and we will take ten steps to support you"   

Making a fervent request to top IT companies like Wipro, IBM, Sify and others who were present on the occasion, Rajkumar said when 20 percent of BPO staff of the country are from the Northeast, there is no reason why these big companies cannot set up bases here. 

" There has to be a change in attitude. A time has come when IT giants should come to the Northeast and serve the country from here" Rajkumar said.      

Earlier, James K Sangma Parliamentary Secretary Incharge of Higher and Technical Education Meghalaya said the private sector should have social obligation towards the people of the region. " Growth is taking place in the region but it should not be at the cost of the poor. 

Sudhir Aggarwal Senior Vice President and Head Sify Technologies Limited said there is a need for having a ICT roadmap of the region to help in development of ICT in the region. 

Rajeev Sood Head of National egovernance projects IBM India the Northeast should develop skilled industry ready young professionals and provide responsive and effective governance. Sood informed there will be an office of IBM soon in the region during the question answer session.  

Arnab Ghosh consultant Wipro Infotech spoke on the need of having proper bandwith and skilled manpower in the region.