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CEL's new trick to turn staff computer literate

M. Somasekhar

NEW DELHI, July 3

IN perhaps a trend-setting move among the Indian public sector enterprises, the Central Electronics Ltd (CEL) has decided to try out a new strategy to turn its large manpower `computer literate' and in the bargain infuse new `work culture'.

It will set up internal `computer cafes', where employees will be given free, hands-on learning opportunity on the personal computer (PCs) and also Internet access.

The first such `computer cafe' would be right at the entrance, the reception area. It would be equipped with 3-4 PCs and will be open round the clock. All that the employee has to do is gather courage and start familiarising with the gadget. He can take the help of colleagues who are already glued on.

The idea behind the move is to motivate the nearly 850-strong employees, a majority of whom are above 35, to utilise the free time usefully and also help them improve work efficiency, said Mr. Mylar Rao, CEL's Chairman and Managing Director (CMD).

``With the increasing use of computers and Internet for information exchange and communication purposes, PSUs like ours would stand to gain in the long run,'' he told Business Line.

One long-term economic benefit for the company, whose sales turnover has fallen from Rs. 68.23 crores in 1997-98 to Rs. 58 crores during 1999-2000, would be an appreciable saving in long-distance telephone, fax and transport charges, he said.

CEL, a leading player in the solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies market, has also come up with a proposal to power PCs through PV cells, so that their penetration can be substantially increased in rural India, which is beset with power problems.

Mr. Rao, who has taken over the reins of CEL, which has been identified for disinvestment by the Government, hopes to pull back the company to the 1997-98 levels by raising employee morale and using persuasive skills with the departments of telecom, bank ing, railways, defence and human resources, development which are its main customers, to bag bigger orders.

CEL, with over the past 25 years of existence, has built up a sound research and development capability in solar technologies as well as a range of electronic sectors. It has even exported technologies to execute projects in solar streetlighting and cell s production in Syria and has bagged a contract in Sudan.