<div align="justify">Former Infosys CFO V Balakrishnan today pitched for higher spending on digitising government services to improve IT business, saying it would help bring down dependency of the domestic industry on global markets.<br /><br />He also said such a measure would give a momentum to the IT services sector and eventually create a platform for redeployment of displaced IT employees.<br /><br />"If the government's biggest purpose is removing corruption and making a transparent economy, it should, in the interim, step up IT spending to digitise government services that would bring in revenues and create a platform for redeployment of displaced IT employees," he told PTI.<br /><br />Balakrishnan said digitisation of government services would bring revenues. This in the short-term would give a momentum to the IT services industry, which was presently seeing single digit growth rates compared to the 15-20 per cent rise a few years ago.<br /><br />The momentum in IT services industry will reduce the dependency on global markets where the growth has slowed down.<br />Stating that digitisation was taking place in bits and pieces in government departments, he said the country needed a Chief Technology Officer.<br /><br />"We need a coherent technology policy. Today it is happening in bits and pieces. Each department is trying to do something, but there is no coherent policy. That is why as a country we need a Chief Technology Officer who will drive the whole thing," Balakrishnan said.<br /><br />He advocated adoption of Singapore government's three-pronged strategy of creating new jobs, redeploying displaced workers and constantly upskilling workers. <br /><br /></div>
<div align="justify">Former Infosys CFO V Balakrishnan today pitched for higher spending on digitising government services to improve IT business, saying it would help bring down dependency of the domestic industry on global markets.<br /><br />He also said such a measure would give a momentum to the IT services sector and eventually create a platform for redeployment of displaced IT employees.<br /><br />"If the government's biggest purpose is removing corruption and making a transparent economy, it should, in the interim, step up IT spending to digitise government services that would bring in revenues and create a platform for redeployment of displaced IT employees," he told PTI.<br /><br />Balakrishnan said digitisation of government services would bring revenues. This in the short-term would give a momentum to the IT services industry, which was presently seeing single digit growth rates compared to the 15-20 per cent rise a few years ago.<br /><br />The momentum in IT services industry will reduce the dependency on global markets where the growth has slowed down.<br />Stating that digitisation was taking place in bits and pieces in government departments, he said the country needed a Chief Technology Officer.<br /><br />"We need a coherent technology policy. Today it is happening in bits and pieces. Each department is trying to do something, but there is no coherent policy. That is why as a country we need a Chief Technology Officer who will drive the whole thing," Balakrishnan said.<br /><br />He advocated adoption of Singapore government's three-pronged strategy of creating new jobs, redeploying displaced workers and constantly upskilling workers. <br /><br /></div>