Date:02/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/03/02/stories/2006030203670400.htm

Back `Mixed bag for IT sector'

Our Bureau

Hyderabad, March 1

The Managing Director, Oracle India, Mr Krishan Dhawan, said the commitment by the Government to increase spending on the e-Governance initiatives will help in percolating the benefits to the general populace including those in rural areas.

Referring to the IT sector, Mr Dhawan said: "The creation of a window for equity participation and viability gap funding for a period of three years along with the Government's focus on the promotion of IT enabled sectors will definitely help in the growth of the industry."

"On the other hand, with the increase in excise duties on computers and packaged software in this Budget, the trend towards affordable computing is likely to be negatively impacted. The IT sector should have been accorded greater focus, given the urgent need to bridge the rural-urban digital divide," he said.