Spineless "IT giants" settle for crumbs

Firms may log in at IT show
To appease the IT sector the government has promised a slew of short, medium and long term steps to improve infrastructure.

Deccan Herald

Bangalore: The IT firms on Thursday softened their stand on boycotting the annual IT.in show in Bangalore in November after the government promised to undertake short term projects on a fast track besides medium and long term steps to upgrade infrastructure and improve traffic flow.

Bangalore Chamber of Industries and Commerce and Bangalore Forum for IT — the two associations that opted out of IT.In — might just reconsider their decision to boycott. While the final decision by both the associations is yet to be taken in consultation with their members.

‘Fruitful’

While Chief Secretary B K Das, in a post-meeting media briefing, said the interaction had been “fruitful”, BCIC and BFIT representatives said they will go back to their respective association members to discuss the government’s proposal before coming up with a decision.

The government, in the meeting, offered to take up work on 19 roads on a priority basis in the form of three packages.

These include eight roads in the Central Business District (M G Road corridor), five in the Indiranagar corridor and six roads in the Hosur Road corridor.

Resurfacing, pavement improvement and traffic flow improvement will be done under a fast track programme. The work would be completed by December end or January next, Mr Das said.

Mr Das’s other proposals include drafting a white paper on the infrastructural needs of the City both on a short term and long term basis by October end and completing the peripheral ring road within five years to decongest the City.

This meeting was held as a precursor to the meeting scheduled between Chief Minister Dharam Singh and the captains of the IT industry after September 20.

Meanwhile, BCIC President Anand Koppar said they could not take a decision at this meeting and he would take a positive feedback to the Governing Council meeting of BCIC and reconsider their earlier stand.

According to sources in BFIT, the decision to participate or not will be finalised only after the executive-level debriefing meeting is held.