State rural BPOs get pro policy push

According to Vidyashankar the government, by accepting suggestions made by Indian Institute of Management (IIM), has enabled rural BPOs to “shake hands” with major IT companies such as TCS, Wipro and others.

Linking with IT majors

Following suggestions from IIM the government has also reduced the number of employees mandatory under the scheme from 100 to 30, besides linking them up with IT majors.

“The BPOs are facing problems expanding their business and finding a growth trajectory. Linking them up with IT majors will enable entrepreneurs to take advantage of market reach and channels of these majors. We would like to see these BPOs succeed and set the example for other states,”  Vidyashankar said.

“We provide services like voice and non-voice services, data entry, transcription, video transcription, data mining, scanning, back office support and telemarketing etc,” said Outsourcing Through Rural Arena (OTRA) Technologies Marketing Head Amitsen Jabannabar, part of four-man venture based in Sankeshwar, Belgaum.

With 100 persons, his company deals with six customers and is in talks with an American based company for online data mining services.

“Our challenge is to train physically challenged persons and recruit in our BPO,” said Kiran D K, Manager of Samarthanam Trust for Disabled rural BPO, based in Bidadi Kirana who also recruit 20 per cent of the employees from able-bodied persons from the local community.

For several of these BPOs, work often comes from the government. Loni Technologies, a rural BPO near Bijapur, are doing caste survey under the “Sadashiv Commission”, involving data conversion.

“Requirement to work with us is nothing more than basic English language and junior level typing skills,” said a representative of Loni Technologies.