N-K region to become new IT destination

N-K region to become new IT destination
DH News Service Bangalore

BPO-ITES-CRM SOCIETY IN PLACE

Bangalore:To give a fillip to the north Karnataka economy, a group of senior government officials, teachers, industrialists and intellectuals have joined hands to realise the full potential of the region as an IT destination.

The group headed by former chief secretary B S Patil has set up a non-political, professional forum - the BPO-ITES-CRM Society (BIC Society) - and will focus on making some of the secondary cities of north Karnataka like Hubli-Dharwad, Davangere and Belgaum international destinations for IT companies.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Patil said the society will act as a single window agency for all new companies who wish to set up base in North Karnataka, helping them from concept to commissioning in all areas of work. The society will develop a strategic advantage profile of the secondary cities and chalk out a comprehensive data base as required by the target companies.

Mr Patil pointed out that with primary locations like Bangalore becoming saturated, companies are on the look out for smaller towns to set up work stations. The secondary cities of north Karnataka had enough potential to cater to the needs of these companies, he said.

The society will also involve itself in providing short term training programmes for students in personality development and make them employable.

The society will be launched in Dharwad by IT and BT Secretary M K Shankaralinge Gowda on September 9. Mr Anant Koppar, CEO, Mphasis Technologies will deliver the keynote address and Dr Bob Hoekstra, CEO, Philips Software Centre will be chief guest.

The other members of the society include R S Hugar, former chairman, Corporation Bank; Dr Ashok S Shettar, principal, BVB College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli; Dr M S Subhas, professor, Kausali Institute of Management Studies, Dharwad; Dr S M Dhume, faculty, KLS Institute of Management Education and Research, Belgaum; Dr Kalyani Rangarajan, professor, KLE’s Institute of Management Studies and Research, Hubli and Dr S K Sachin, faculty, Kausali Institute of Management Studies, Dharwad.