Surprise! CM seeks Centre's support for Hardware Park

Dharam seeks Centre's support for proposed hardware park

BANGALORE: Reiterating his government's commitment to IT in Karnataka, Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh requested the Centre to support the State in its various projects.

He was speaking at the launch of Bangalore IT.com 2004 here on Thursday. In the presence of Union Communication and IT minister Dayanidhi Maran, he said: ''I request the Union Minister to provide financial support for the proposed hardware park in Bangalore and also recognise it as a special economic zone. A special economic package should be given for the BPO sector in the city too.''

The CM also asked the Centre to consider setting up of earth stations and incubation centres in Belgaum and Gulbarga as this would help taking IT to the secondary cities. He added that his government would provide Rs. 100 lakh and 5 acre of land each in the two cities for this.

Meanwhile, the top IT exporters from the State were presented awards from the STPI by Maran and Dharam Singh.

S.N. Zindal, director general STPI, said, "Right now, India has IT exports of $12 billion. Our target is to go beyond $ 50 billion in five years. "

He also said that there were 40 STPIs in India and 25 of them had come up in secondary cities.

"This is to ensure that the rural youth learn and participate in the IT industry. With competition hotting up in the world, it will be a natural course for BPO companies to move to these secondary cities," he added.