By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 25: The state government will soon announce its IT policy to attract more investments and create jobs in the IT sector.
Speaking at a programme to launch three unique community development programmes initiated by an IT firm [24]7.ai at the Shillong Technology Park, Umsawli on Friday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the state government should be able to announce the IT policy within three weeks.
He said it took about a year to prepare the policy and that work was briefly stopped due to Assembly elections. He said the government is waiting for final comments on the policy from the Industries Department.
Stating that the idea to come up with the policy was suggested by [24]7.ai, Sangma said he expects the firm to invest more in Meghalaya which will create job opportunities.
Under the CM-ELEVATE programme, the state government plans to provide financial support to 20,000 startups and businesses, including those in the IT sector, in the future, Sangma said.
“We feel the government should provide subsidies to such industries that give direct benefit to our people in terms of employment, rather than giving benefits to large industries that do not give us the returns and are not productive enough,” he said.
The CM said the state government wants to create a system for ITS services in the State.
He said the state government will lay optical fibre cables for high-speed internet connectivity at all block headquarters.
“Optical fibre connectivity down to the block level will improve the online education system at the grassroots level,” he said, adding the state government is in the process of putting up one of the largest data centres in the Northeast.
Sangma said submarine cables have landed in Bangladesh’s Chittagong and the state government will propose taking these cables to Guwahati via Shillong.
“There is a high probability that the submarine cables would land in Shillong through collaboration among governments of India, Bangladesh, Assam and Meghalaya,” he said.
Earlier, expressing the company’s dedication to community development, Nina Nair, Head, India & Americas, [24]7.ai and member of the [24]7.ai Foundation, said, “Our journey in Meghalaya has been rapid. We now want to bring in transformative changes by bridging the talent and unemployment gap through which we can unlock a wealth of untapped potential and foster a generation that can adapt, innovate and contribute meaningfully to the state’s workforce,”
Nair said the main aim of the firm is to provide quality education and vocational training to empower youth and women to foster sustainable economic growth.
According to her, another important endeavour “Project Nirmalya” is to provide proper sanitation facilities at schools for the girl child.
[24]7.ai was the first to set up international BPO operations in Shillong two years ago and it has since expanded operations to offer both direct and indirect employment opportunities in the state.
The firm aims to be an employer of choice, with a strong commitment to providing local talent with a unique opportunity to work for global Fortune 500 companies while still living in their home state. It has invested in creating a vibrant 25,000 sq. ft. facility at Shillong Technology Park and constantly engaged with young talent to shape them into successful professionals.
As part of the skilling initiative “Project Udaan”, local youth will gain expertise in harnessing new technology, enabling them to be job ready and elevate customer experience in the BPO sector.
In addition, the IT firm also extends its support to women through its empowerment initiatives. By offering training in diverse fields, such as Tally, office administration, desktop publishing, driving, tailoring and beautician services, the company is working towards promoting women’s economic independence in Meghalaya.
A third project that has been launched is Project Nirmalya which seeks to address the pressing issue of children dropping out of government schools due to the lack of proper sanitation facilities.
By constructing portable clean toilets for students, the project aims to improve attendance and create a conducive learning environment. Currently, 14 toilets have been installed in five schools. The company aspires to raise the number to around 50 by the end of this financial year.
