Microsoft to help West Bengal's IT initiative

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLKATA, AUG. 29. The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, today said the State would draw an IT roadmap for the next two years in consultation with Microsoft. Microsoft would also help the State prepare some citizen interface projects.

``We propose to immediately initiate actions for drawing IT blue prints for the next two to three years in consultation with Microsoft,'' Mr. Bhattacharjee said while addressing the annual meeting of the Indian Chamber of Commerce here today.

The Chief Minister said Microsoft would be associated with the initiatives of the State Government for setting up IT training institutions such as faculty training institute of IT teachers and for assisting in undergraduate IT education. ``We have started the process of introducing IT education in all secondary and higher secondary schools. IBM, NIIT and Wipro are associated with our initiative in this direction. CISCO Networking academies are being set up in the State,'' he said.

According to Mr. Bhattachaarjee software exports from the State grew by 34 per cent to Rs. 935 crores in 2000-01.

The Chief Minister said though only a small beginning had been made in bio-technology so far, ``we are hopeful that this knowledge-based industry, particularly the tissue culture sector, will revolutionalise the agri-scenario of the State.''

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Section  : Business
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