Govt mulls scheme to promote BPOs across the country

Government is in the process of finalising a policy to promote BPO activities in the country after implementing a scheme to incentivise these operations in the Northeast, claiming it would be a "game changer".

A policy on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operations in the country "is in the final stages of finalisation," Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in reply to a supplementary during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha.

"The proposed scheme would lay down the appropriate guidelines in regard to eligibility, location, nature of support to the industry and other related aspects and would be operationalised after obtaining necessary approvals of the competent authority," he said.

Stating that the policy was aimed at creating employment opportunities and growth of the IT-ITES industry, Prasad said the Centre and states must work together to make the scheme successful, as the success of BPO industries called for a lot of infrastructural support like land and electricity.

"BPO is going to generate employment in all small cities ... BPO is a game changer in small cities," he said appealing to all Members of Parliament and state governments to chip in with their support for the plan.

The minister said all states would have to participate actively to make the scheme a success, particularly on issues like land allocation for setting up BPOs and providing them with power connectivity.