The Hindu Business Line : Will not brook any disruption in IT sector: Buddhadeb

Speaking at an interactive session at Infocom 2005 Conference and Exhibition here, Mr Bhattacharjee said: "We have accorded IT and ITES the status of public utilities. As such we will not allow any disruptions to take place. We have asked people to think whether they need to agitate in the IT industry. No outsider will be allowed to disturb the IT sector in the future," he said when asked if it was appropriate that the IT sector should bear the brunt of bandhs and agitations.

Mr Bhattacharjee said that he had told trade unions that the global economy had changed and, in the new dispensation, workers must share some responsibilities. "I have told the trade unions that, either you behave responsibly, or companies will collapse and you will lose your jobs."

The Chief Minister said he would take up with the Central government the IT industry's needs with regard to data protection and privacy legislation.

According to him, West Bengal was keen to leverage its quality manpower and increase its share of the nation's IT revenues. The state aims to account for 15 per cent of the country's IT revenue and 20 per cent of the ITES revenue by 2010. The number of IT professionals needed would be 1.75 lakh. At present, 35,000 professionals are engaged in the state's IT sector. To augment its manpower, the state aims to create more engineering colleges and similar institutions. The Reliance Group has agreed to set up an IT training centre at the industrial township of Kalyani near here. Computer training has also been introduced in schools.

According to Mr Bhattacharjee, with space becoming scarce at the Sector V of Salt Lake here, the state government had earmarked land at Nonadanga, Bantala and Rajarhat IT Township to meet the requirements of the IT sector.

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