173
t w e l v e
R
ebuilding Gujarat is a key priority for the state today. The idea is to get the
Kutch region back on the rails as soon as possible. One of the major
considerations today is finding a livelihood for the displaced people — those who
overnight have no offices to go to, or whose businesses have been razed to the
ground. Kutch, in fact, requires all the help it can get and here’s where IT stalwarts
and global software majors can play a key role. One of the best ways in which a
large number of jobs can be created is through the setting up of IT-enabled service
facilities across quake affected areas of Gujarat.
IT-enabled services, including call centers and medical transcription facilities among
others, can be established by leading MNCs, which are in any case considering
such investments in India. The Government of Gujarat should offer incentives to
these foreign companies and private sector giants in India for setting up such centers.
Some of the tax concessions which are currently being offered to investors in
backward areas could also be extended to these sectors. The IT-enabled services
segment is one where significant employment generation can take place. Large call
centers and medical transcription facilities usually boast anywhere between 500 and
1,000
seats and provided the larger companies come in, a multitude of jobs will be
created.
Setting up the infrastructure for such call centers will also be made easy owing to
the fact that the government is already laying fresh telecommunication links and
even looking at alternatives such as satellite networks and wireless Internet options.
Investing MNCs will benefit from such rebuilding which will give them access to
the very best of technology. Even large Indian corporates such as the Reliance
Group, which are doing extensive work in the area of broadband (Laying optic fibre
networks across Gujarat), can be encouraged to get into IT-enabled services.
The existing manpower in Kutch, which is currently jobless can also be absorbed
by IT companies spread across the other regions in Gujarat, particularly in cities
such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, among others. Both the Gujarat Government, in
tandem with leading IT training companies in India can set up facilities for providing
short-term computer training (possibly even free) to the educated but jobless, enabling
The Times of India, Ahmedabad February 26, 2001
“
Rebuilding Post-Quake Gujarat,
Brick By Click”
