Siliguri hub gasps for IT breath


The Software Technology Parks of India unit at Matigara where the sole IT unit of the region is operational. (Kundan Yolmo)
Siliguri, Aug. 19: The prospect of Siliguri’s development as an IT hub seems to be bleak as the company that had set up the first call centre here has left town wrapping up its infrastructure.

Despite incentives announced by the state government, no IT company has expressed interest to set up its unit in Siliguri or any other district of north Bengal in the past one year or so.

In the past few years, Siliguri was identified as a tier-II city of the state that had the potential of being developed as an IT hub, particularly because of the presence of a good English-speaking youth population.

However, in the past few years, despite efforts by local MLA and state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya and trade bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry, not much has developed — except two under-construction buildings at Paribahan Nagar in Matigara, where spaces will be provided to IT companies.

Acclaris, which runs a knowledge process outsourcing centre at the Software Technology Parks of India unit in Matigara, is the only operational unit in Siliguri now.

“Uninterrupted connectivity, regularity of the workforce, round-the-clock transport facility and food facilities are some of the basic criteria that are necessary to run a BPO. All these are unfortunately absent in Siliguri,” said an official of Xploretech, a Calcutta-based company which had opened the first call centre here in 2008 but was forced to close it down six-seven months ago.
Officials at the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority, who have tied up with Infinity Infotech to raise an IT Park in Matigara, said they had not received any new proposal. “Two buildings are under construction by the Rungta Group and Webel in Matigara which would be completed soon. Work on an IT park to be constructed with the company will commence soon,” a senior official said.

Kushal Rungta, associated with the Rungta Group, said the building would be complete in another year. “We will provide space to IT companies but right now, there is no proposal with us from any firm which is interested to set up a unit in Siliguri,” he said over the phone from Calcutta. “Basically, there has to be a change in mindset and plan to function from tier-II cities among the firms to ensure growth of Siliguri as an IT hub.” The Rungta Group will develop 1.50 lakh sqft area, expecting to generate around 1,500-2,000 employment per shift .

State IT minister Debesh Das, however, is still confident that Siliguri can be developed into an IT hub. “We need to carry out an aggressive promotion at the national level to project Siliguri. The state government is taking necessary initiative in this regard,” he said. “To hone the skills of local youths, we have set up finishing schools in Calcutta and Durgapur and plan to raise another in Siliguri. This will help the region attract more companies.”

source: the telegraph