TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES INCENTIVES TO SET UP L BPO IN RURAL AREAS
Posted on: 17/Aug/2010 5:43:15 AM
The State Information Technology Department of Tamilnadu has unveiled Rural BPO policy, which will be incentive based for establishing BPOs in rural areas. It may become a landmark decision and sure to be followed by other states. The latent danger is that it could wean people away from our life line Agriculture. Side effect could be transformation in rural culture. Positive effect will be people will go for education and learn competiveness. The two forms of subsidy – capital and training – will be given to BPO units located in village panchayats.A BPO unit can avail itself of both categories of subsidy and may get a total of Rs.7.5 lakh.
It will also help to find interested institutions, both educational and otherwise, which would want to partner with BPO units.
The Rural BPO Policy is an outcome of the success of the establishment of the rural BPO units in Sanasandiram Chennathur Panchayat, Hosur block, and three years ago. The Krishnagiri district administration was actively involved.
While moving the demand for grants for the IT Department in the Assembly a few months ago, IT Minister Poongothai said the Krishnagiri rural BPO unit was the country`s first such unit.
As part of the policy document, a 15 per cent capital subsidy will be provided on investment subject to a maximum of Rs.3 lakh to any unit that is functioning for a minimum of three years and that has been directly employing a minimum of 100 trained persons in the unit. The Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) will be the nodal agency to determine the eligibility claims of prospective rural BPOs.
This subsidy will be back-ended and paid in three equal installments at the end of each year. As for training subsidy, the cost of training should be shared by the government and the company concerned. The government will provide Rs.1, 500 per month per person for three months. The normal period of skill building training for a BPO unit is three months.
The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Academy of Tamil Nadu will be involved in monitoring and reviewing the working of rural BPOs. A senior executive below the Academy`s Chief Executive Officer will be in charge of the task and this arrangement will also help to penetrate rural areas with appropriate BPOs, who will work in close coordination with ELCOT.
Poongothai Aladi Aruna, IT Minister in a function held in Chennai on Monday announced that, The Information Technology Department will shortly spearhead a massive digital literacy programme to empower the rural population across Tamilnadu. The Minister was participating in a programme to hand over computers and e-learning content to the underprivileged under the auspices of the Rotary Club of Madras Midtown and Ford Business Services Centre .Dr. Poongothai said the modalities of rolling out the project were being worked
