A BPO boost for north Karnataka

A BPO boost for north Karnataka
The Times of India


Bangalore: A former bureaucrat is trying to take the benefits of IT and BPO to north Karnataka. B S Patil, former chief secretary in the Karnataka government, has launched the BIC Society, a Nasscom-like body whose goal is to ensure that key cities like Hubli, Belgaum, Dharwad and Davangere get at least one BPO company within the next 12 months.
“These cities have a pool of nearly 50,000 talented young graduates across four universities, over 300 colleges. If Mangalore and Mysore can attract BPO and IT companies, then we are confident that these cities can do it too. We will be taking one CEO every fortnight to talk to the people in these localities,” Patil told The Times of India.
BIC Society will be formally launched in Dharwad by state secretary for IT and BT, M K Shankarlinge Gowda, on Friday. Philips Software CEO Bob Hoekstra and MphasiS CEO Anant Koppar will be present at the event.
A recent McKinsey report categorised Hubli as “satisfactory” in terms of manpower, telecom infrastructure and commercial infrastructure for IT/BPO.
Patil also noted that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had given an in-principle approval for a loan of Rs 300-400 crore for betterment of 22 towns in north Karnataka. “This will essentially be used for roads, sanitation, underground drainage, solid waste management and common affluent treatment plant,” Patil said.