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Bengal hopes to cash in on off-shoring

September 18, 2006 15:35 IST

As the information technology industry in the country roars on, the earnings from IT exports are expected to increase from $13.3 billion in 2003-04 to an estimated $148 billion by 2011-12.

With 30,000 students passing out of English medium schools in Kolkata alone, West Bengal is well poised to grab a big chunk of the off-shoring market in India, said the special secretary of the department of IT in the West Bengal government, Siddharth.

He said he was optimistic about the future of IT in the state and the country as well, while addressing students at a seminar organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry for orientation of college students to the demands of the industry.

"We are trying to turn Webel Informatics Limited into a full-fledged training and placement company for the IT industry in the state. We will shortly begin work in this direction," said Siddharth.

The employment in the sector has increased from 2.84 lakh in 1999-200 to 12.87 lakh in 2005-06 and is expected to provide employment to another million by 2012, he added.

Speaking at the venue, Prithwish Mukherjee, location head of IBM Kolkata, spoke about the opportunities coming up in the animation and gaming industries.

Bikash Sinha, director of the Saha Institute of Atomic Research, however cautioned the students that their ambitions should not be limited to earning a good salary by doing outsourced work for IT giants.

Instead, said Sinha, India could focus on more advanced work in the sector of IT and physics while also focussing on entrepreneurship and technological innovation.

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BS Reporter in Kolkata
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