Information Technology Stakeholders voiced for separate directorate for the sector stating that it would help the industry grow and throw up massive employment opportunities in the IT sector for Unemployed youth of J&K and there is need for IT Vision Document of J&K

The PHDCCI-J&K with support of CNS Infotel Pvt Ltd organized a Webinar on Investments in IT Sector in J&K “Opportunities & Challenges”. The Session was Inaugurated by Mr Rahul Sahai Chair-PHDCCI-Jammu, and was graced by Ms Anoo Malhotra (JKAS) Director Industries Jammu, Mr Amit Sharma (JKAS) CEO JaKeGA-J&K, Mr. Asim Khan Director Software Technology Park of India –J&K, Mr Sudhir Aggarwal Deloitte India, Dr. Amitash OJha Assistant Professor IIT-Jammu, Dr. Ankur Gupta Director MIET Jammu, Ms Madeena Mir, Convener IT Committee PHDCCI-Kashmir, Mr. Yasser Kazzmi CEO Mayasa Network Solutions, Mr. Ashfaq Mir CEO SOW technologies, Mr. Arush Mahajan CEO Branding Elves, Mr. Vikrant Gupta CEO of RVS I Global – London and Jammu, Mr. Vishal Bindra ACPL Systems Pvt Ltd, Mr. Mrityunjay IT Industry in Jammu, Mr. Sameer Ahsan Director Infinity solutions, Mr. Imtiyaz Ahmed CEO Comtech group, Mr. Tousef Ahmed CEO Kawa Group along with Executive Members of Information and Communications Technology Association (ICTA) of Jammu and Kashmir. The whole Session was moderated by Mr Rahul Sahai Chair PHDCCI-Jammu and the event was attended by more than 100- IT Entrepreunrs of J&K. The formal vote of thanks was extended by Ms Madeena Mir, Convenor IT Committee PHDCCI-Kashmir whose Company CNS Infotel had supported the event sum up webinar with her vote of thanks to the entire participants as well as dignitaries of this meeting. She said that PHDCCI will continue to get significant provision from diverse groups in IT sector in the future.

 

Mr Asim Khan, Director STPI –J&K In his address mentioned the role of STPI for IT Sector and elaborating the role of STPI , said that it has primarilybeen providing statutory services, which is the export promotion scheme of government of India. In Jammu as well as in Srinagar and other services are incubation facility, BPO scheme, Center of Entrepreneurship, which are the major domains and mandates that STPI are doing in Jammu and Kashmir as regards to statutory services. Informing the audience he apprised that last year, we have had an export of 2681 crores by the software of J&K who are employing approximately 350 technocrats and all of them are exporting to majorly European countries, America and eastern side. STPI J&K have had approximately a total utilization of 30,500 square feet of space, which has been utilized by software entrepreneurs. These are registered entrepreneurs developing software product, call centres and data centres Apart from that Center of Entrepreneurship is our present focus of scheme, under which we have submitted the proposals to UT government, various departments in UT government and also to education institutions. Center for Entrepreneurship basically is the scheme next generation incubation scheme to provide entrepreneurs with venture capital and to provide them with the technology partners, mentorships technology partners and also various other offerings, which come into the financial incentives.

 

Ms Anoo Malhotra (JKAS) Director Industries Jammu in his address provided the details of benefits and incentives for IT Sector of J&K and she outlined the role and responsibilities of Industry Department in investment in IT sector of J&k and she added that we are waiting for IT investment and we want an inclusive development of J&K with our focus on IT Investment also. She highlighted that government is looking for Private investors for coming up with IT towers and people within J&K and also outside J&K can buy private land and can avail all Industrial benefits in Investment in IT Sector and also in Substantial Expansion of Existing IT Units with the same analogy as we are providing to the manufacturing sector, the main incentives which are quite attractive for IT sector is that even building will be providing with the capital investment subsidy along with other Incentives envisaged in New Industrial Development Scheme.

 

 

In his Welcome address Mr Rahul Sahai Chair-PHDCCI-Jammu welcome the delegates and added that for the first time in J&K in IT sector an attempt has been, made by PHDCCI to involve all the stakeholders for presenting their views that how administration in synchronization with stakeholders will facilitate and bring IT investments in UT of J&K. Mr Sahai Stated that the purpose of today's webinar is to look ways and means to generate employment in the IT sector. He further added that Information Technology plays a significant part in Indian economic development, and has a great potential of long lasting economic progression through greater productivity in different aspects of the economy. It can change and shape the national and regional economy decisively by various means of creating more workforce deployment, raising literacy rates, rendering maximum health services and providing effective administration through e-governance. In addition to the major sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceutical research, nanotechnology and so on, information systems has been crucial in the field of defence and intelligence, space exploration, weather forecasting, and transmission and efficiency for the common administration and paving the way for economic growth. Mr Rahul further stated that If we need rapid growth in IT industry in J&K, the positive strengths of the industry should be providing highly skilled technical human resource and incentives for budding entrepreneurs who are venturing in IT sector along with favourable government policies like setting up of tech parks, in the middle of cities not in outskirts, and implementation of e-governance projects and bringing some operation part of global and Indian IT giants like Microsoft, Amazon, TCS, Oracle, IBM, Zomato in UT. Along with that there is need for creating Human resource with good English speaking professionals, smooth and safe transportation facilities for working staff, curriculum updation with alignment to digital marketing, artificial intelligence, drone Technology machine learning minimum internet shutdowns downs that should be assured which is very important for bringing investments in Sunrise IT Sector of J&K.

 

 

Mr Ankur Gupta Director MIET and Convenor IT Committee PHDCCI Jammu in his address said that the fact is 8% of our GDP comes from IT sector and IT services are not lost on us. We are already generating $200 billion from the IT industry and if Jammu and Kashmir also aspires to be, progressive Union Territory, then adoption and championing IT in many ways is given. So, it's not a question of whether we want to do it, but, the market forces will eventually make us adopt it and to give a boost to the sector in the state.

 

Mr Ankur further said that there are a lot of good organizations and people who are working in silos within the state, and this platform provided by PHDCCI would be a great forum for all of us to get together and look at how we can; leverage the competencies that are already available in the ecosystem. Mr Ankur Stated that J&K needs a unified IT vision document and that would be a great starting point because the subdomains within it are so varied and so different from each other that just focusing on a few important competencies is very important. We can leapfrog the other states by creating centres of excellence in emerging domains, and the products and services from these centres of excellence in IT Sector can be consumed internally as well as exported to other parts of the country as well.

 

We need to have highly focused aggressive approach that is required to help define and attain the objectives around IT Sector of J&K, we need to just start supporting each other, with the enabling environment to attain transformation, which is required and that can be achieved by getting together talking about it, supporting each other and then leveraging the supporting policies, Which are especially being formulated for the UT of J&K to give a boost to industry sector and IT Sector. I think, together we can and we will and I would like to Compliment the PHDCCI for taking the lead and there is a bright future ahead of us, as there's a lot of excellent work being done in isolation. We need to bring all of it together and to attain our combined objectives for the J&K UT in the IT sector added Ankur Gupta.

 

 

Mr Sudhir Aggarwal Delloite India In his address said that we need to create a Pull factor for IT investors in J&K as whatever the attractive policies we are creating whatever the investment we are making, whatever the programs we are launching. We have to define that where and how we are creating a pull factor for the industry to come to J&K. Mr Sudhir added that as we are in a very opportune time because the government has also just launched a new education policy, so some of the new education policy interventions can be brought right now, because it is the education system. So, to attract some other new start-ups in IT with certain defined benefits, financial benefits, social economic benefit, new investments can be attracted and can create a cool factor. To me, I'm quite excited about MSME and start-up hubs, if you can create and you know, they can become an integral part of the entire ecosystem to attract investments. Now they may in the beginning may look at small timer but they can be the game changer for us. The UT government can also work with NITI Aayog and mention one or two areas around start-up around MSME so those Industries will be routed to J&K for Investments. So we need a structured program to invite and create the pull factor for industry to join J&K added Mr Sudhir Aggarwal.

 

 

Mr Amit Sharma (JKAS) CEO, JAKEGA in his address said that as we all know that reforms have started in J&K and now it is unstoppable and IT has to play a major role in all this Digital J&K. So that's why I say that investment in the IT Industry is a big time ticket for everybody and entrepreneurs from industry should avail this opportunity to the best possible and we are available as e-governance agency alongside IT department and everybody in the government is open and welcome you with Red Carpet. Defining the role of JAKEGA Mr Amit said that today we are born total paperless office in Secretariat and we all are working on a vision you must have seen like digital Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of Digital India and we are working on that a big way we want to facilitate public at large and today people are witnessing major reforms in the land sector, Domicile, Property return, e-secretariat, online portal of other services and other departments that have primarily come because of the IT intervention.

 

 

 

Dr Amitash OJha, Assistant Professor IIT –Jammu in his address said that online classes gave us very interesting ideas that how can we share our resources, especially intellectual pool and he mentioned that IIT Jammu has fully automated systems and the students have come up with LMS Learning Management System, which can be deployed in all schools and colleges. Dr OJha stated that skilling is one of the major part and IIT Jammu have some short courses on skills, financial Skills, Life Skills and soft Skills.. There are ideas, resources, available here. What we are looking for Industrial problems. So, if J&K Industry is having some problem that you think that we can solve. We will be happy to listen to you and come up with our solutions. Let these problems be given to students and they are intelligent students, they will solve the problem added Dr Amitash.

 

The entrepreneurs from IT Sector flagged some of the burning issues of IT sector of J&K and it was bring in notice of the penalist by Mr. Arush Mahajan CEO Branding Elves Said that the biggest problem I have faced is there is no start-up ecosystem here. There is no investor ecosystem. So all we need to rely on for investment or some sort of financial support is either the family or loans from banks. So the biggest challenge I would say is funding space where people have actually are facing problems getting an office and also IT entrepreneurs do not really need lands nor they have the skill set to build buildings, so the entrepreneurs could be offered a subsidy or helping the rent that would be much better.

 

Mr. Yasser Kazzmi CEO Mayasa Network Solutions, while highlighting the issues mentioned that right now very efficient people are in the right places of Government they are all young, energetic and passionate, right and they are the people who can bring that revolution. They can create the ecosystem where IT industry can really thrive. So we have. Extending his thanks to PHDCCI Mr Yasser said that PHDCCI have done a really a great thing to bring the IT sector together, discussing on the incentives and opportunities that are available he said these are very lucrative so far as if we see it from outside company coming to J&K setting up a business. We have so many policies, the central government policies the policies which can really benefit the local sector also and plus the new IT companies that will come up and they can see that this ecosystem needs to be created. We need to have more and more webinars seminars like this, so that we can also invite people from outside who would like to set up industries here.

 

Mr. Sameer Ahsan Director Infinity solutions provided the detailed presentation about vision and mission of Information and Communications Technology Association (ICTA) of Jammu and Kashmir and how it will play an important role for IT Development of IT Sector of J&K.

 

Mr. Vikrant Gupta CEO of RVS I Global – London- While sharing his views he mentioned the importance of location and the oppurtunities present there . We can take an example in London, where the government provides a lot of incentives in terms of apprentice internships, because when you are working in practical world, no matter how much great you have been in your academics, the real world experience is completely different and that is what really makes you know, to be a successful entrepreneur or an even a professional. The other aspect is guidance. I think, when we will promote the success of local entrepreneurs, more and more, I think that will be a very good motivational point for other youth in J&K.

 

Mr. Ashfaq Mir CEO SOW technologies provided a detailed overview about the trouble being faced by IT Sector of J&K gave an example through case studies of all big companies named Microsoft, Amazon, and many more that how they from the local markets. Mr Mir said that there are a lot of challenges we faced as local companies as we are not being recognized. We are not being acknowledged. We are not being empowered. Government don't listen to us and all IT related work of Government is being done by government leaving no or zero scope for local IT entrepreneur. We have to think from the scratch and we have to see how we can address the issues in a more candid manner, rather than put it in black and white presentations and so on and so forth. So engaging local players is very important to sustain the IT sector of J&K. (KNS)