Resolve Nandigram

Has there been any impact of Nandigram on the IT industry, I recently asked

a friend from a leading IT company. Not much was his indifferent reply. So,

should we assume that what India and the whole world witnessed in West Bengal is

nothing to be worried about? I am not sure. Is this only a West Bengal specific

problem? I am not very sure.

At a time when most of the hot and happening IT locations in our country were

running out of capacity in terms of infrastructure and manpower, West Bengal in

general and Kolkata in particular (remember it was the former capital of India)

was emerging as a good option. Therefore, many big names in software and

services have either set up shop there or are considering doing so. An incident

like Nandigram, according to me, can have multi-dimensional ramifications.

First and foremost, in such circumstances, there would not be too many

players who would be comfortable with making Kolkata a base for their

operations. The result will be that Kolkata, West Bengal, and actually the

entire North East, will get affected. Instead of becoming a place where IT

product and services work happens, it will be reduced to the status of just a

market.

Ibrahim Ahmad The Nandigram issue can have a negative impact on the IT industry and private educational institutes venturing into West Bengal

In fact, with business and industrial uncertainty, West Bengals future as a

growing IT market may also be under threat. Not too many companies will be

setting up or expanding their operations, and therefore the IT market there will

not grow significantly. And, Kolkata being the gateway to Northeast India, the

impact could be far beyond West Bengals capital.

Business might be one aspect, but Nandigram issue can have an impact on some

other things too, that directly affect the Indian IT sector. Private educational

institutes that would have been the next to follow the IT companies, will also

not venture into the state. At a time when manpower is coming up as a major area

of shortage, India can not afford to lose places where technical as well as

skills based education can be imparted. West Bengal getting dropped from the

list of preferred destination of educational institutes would be a major

setback, not only for the state, but also for the entire country.

At a time when we need more places where IT can prosper, we might have to cut

Kolkata out from the list. We will be forced to look for new places then, and

that might take a few years to be identified and built up. It is, therefore,

very important for the West Bengal government as well the central government in

Delhi to resolve the Nandigram issue sooner than later.

And, finally, what happened in Nandigram could be repeated in some other

states also. One reason, besides cost and quality, why so many MNCs are coming

to India is because the country is becoming politically stable in the last few

years. All efforts must be made, and obviously the industry support would be

required for it, to ensure a stable atmosphere in the state and the country.