Apart from infrastructure support, the presence of people with sufficient skills, a world-class workplace for children and enough job opportunities are also necessary for small towns so that people do not have to migrate. to Tier 1 cities, top executives at lobby group Nasscom said.
The government wants the IT sector to grow deeper in small towns for widespread economic growth, while the sector facing attrition issues also sees it as one of the ways to retain the workforce, who are afraid to migrate to bigger centers like Bangalore or Hyderabad.
“When I talk about infrastructure, it’s not just broadband, but things like electrical connectivity, electricity, etc. There are quite a few things that need to be sorted out. And we’re talking to the government” said Nasscom Chairman Debjani Ghosh. journalists.
She said Tier II and Tier III hiring is now part of our growth strategy and a key imperative for the growth of the industry, which aspires to bring global revenue to $350 billion. 2026.
Without giving further details, Ghosh said a pilot project will be launched between the government and Nasscom in a few cities for the same.
“We also need to invest in skills in Tier II and Tier III cities and that’s something Nasscom and the companies are doing by working with engineering schools and others in those cities to develop the pipeline,” he said. she added.
Pravin Rao, outgoing president of the body, said it was also important to create world-class educational institutions and health facilities because today a lot of migration occurs in Tier I cities. , because people are looking for quality education and employment. possibilities for spouses.
“We also need to start creating this kind of ecosystem in Tier II, Tier III cities, so that people don’t have to migrate to Tier I cities,” he added.
Calling it a “win-win” equation for the industry and the country, Ghosh said micro IT hubs have been created by the industry in centers like Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Coimbatore and Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile, Ghosh also asked for clarification from the government “as soon as possible” to accommodate the hybrid working model where employees can switch from working from home to working in the office as requested.
Regarding the overhaul of the SEZ Act, Ghosh said the sector was also in touch with the government to make hybrid working a “design principle” and take into account aspects such as working from home and working from home. in smaller centers.
Meanwhile, Ghosh also advocated for having data privacy and cybersecurity laws in the country, saying it will benefit the sector.
“A few areas where we need more clarity (on data protection) relate to the inclusion of non-personal data, cross-border data flows, etc.,” she said.
Krishnan Ramanujam of TCS, vice president of Nasscom, said regulatory clarity would help the IT industry.
