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MANABENDRA
MUKHERJEE
'West
Bengal is producing the best basic input for IT industry'
WHY Bengal? "IT is a knowledge based company and West Bengal produces the best quality human resources at cheapest price. This is the greatest advantage that Bengal offer to the IT industry. So far as this basic raw material is concerned, the IT gets the best here in Kolkata only," prompt comes the reply from an assertive IT minister of West Bengal, Manabendra Mukherjee. There are a number of pioneering institutions like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Statistical Institute, pioneering engineering colleges like Shibpur, Jadavpur , premier colleges like St. Xaviers, Presidency College- all are in this state and contributing significantly to the talent pool of the state. "We are producing the best human resource, the basic input for the IT industry as it is knowledge based industry," says Mukherjee in an interview with Amitabha Sen. The state government has set up a committee to closely monitor the requirement of the industry from time to time and recommend steps to be taken by the government.
After human resource, the next important issue is the physical infrastructure.The connectivity is a very important factor. Possibly the state will be getting the Submarine Cable Landing Station here in Kolkata. "That will make one of the best connectivity opportunity in India," affirms the minister. Road transportation is yet another important infrastructure back-up that the IT industry requires. "We are offering the best option. Kolkata will be the first Metro-connected IT hub in the country. Lot of connecting roads and flyovers are being built to make road connectivity to the IT hub smoother and hassle-free. Flyovers are being built to connect city's airport with the IT complex. Country's largest single built-up area project is |
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now
being implemented in Kolkata. DLF is implementing the project to develop
an area of 1.3 million square feet for the IT complex in Rajarhat new
township," Mukherjee said. So far as social infrastructure
is concerned, facilities are being created for both the older and the
young generation people. Sports complex, recreation, entertainment, marketing,
shopping malls all would be there.
One of the main reasons that is of late prompting IT majors is the immunity
the IT complex in the state enjoys from any internal or external political
or trade union problems. "So far as legal infrastructure is concerned,
West Bengal is the first in the country to declare the IT industry as
the Public Utility Service. They are immune from any external or
internal political trouble. It's now 24x7 operation. We have introduced
self certification system", he said.
"Another important point is the proactive stand of the government under the leadership of our new Chief Minister. Under his leadership we are offering the best political support. If you consider the social and political scenario, West Bengal is by far one of the most peaceful states in the country. No communal tension, no terrorist activities. It is one of the most stable governments in the country. So far as the political stability and government practice is concerned, Bengal is the best. All these three factors together, Bengal is the most preferred destination for the IT industry," claims the IT minister.
The old perception about West Bengal is still haunting a section of domestic as well as foreign investors. But over last four-five years, Bengal is changing and is trying to catch up with the best in the country. What is the damage-control strategy of the state government? "To correct the perception about Kolkata, the negative image of Kolkata, an aggressive marketing strategy has been launched. Marketing state, its ground realities which are today opposite to what the perception was all about three years back. "The IT giants are there in Bengal today. Investors community is having increasing and greater confidence in Kolkata. Not only that they are putting up facilities , they are expanding and investing in a very big way. All these speak volume of changed perception," the minister said and hoped that the Investors community who have confidence in Kolkata would share their views about Kolkata with others both dom,domestic and foreign IT companies This would also help change their perception as well and they too would find Kolkata a preferred destination to start their IT and ITES related activities in Bengal. We are planning road shows overseas as well . All said and done, investors confidence is the most important thing", Mukherjee observed. During his recent interaction with US Undersecretary of Commerce, Kenneth I Juster has shown effective interest in IT in Bengal. He is now convinced that everyone now has to get rid the of the old perception of Kolkata. President of IT Association of America, Harris Miller is also very positive about IT in Bengal" Mukherjee said in reply to a question on international selling of Bengal as IT and ITEs destination.
The minister strongly feels that the target of 15-20 percent is "highly achievable" as biggies have started flocking in, many more are in the pipelines.The state's share in the national IT revenue currently stands at 5.1 percent. Now they are here and many other names are likely to be added in the list. The minister has many such names up his sleeves and he does not want to roll them out for obvious tactical reason. His confidence in achieving the target is strengthened more because of the most friendly relations between the government and the industry the built up over last two-three years time. "There is no gap between the industry and the government. We are in constant and continuous dialogue with the industry. Everything closely monitored on day-to-day basis. We have full confidence on them" , he added.
December
1, 2004
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Mr.
Manabendra Mukherjee
Minister-in-charge
Department of Information Technology
INTERVIEWS
Mr. G. D. Gautama, Principal Secretary,
Department of Information Technology
Mr. Sridhartha Mukherjee, Vice-President
and Head of Cognizant's Kolkata operation