The State government should promote Kannadigas in the Information Technology (IT) sector by opening up opportunities for them in the State, said T.V. Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education, on Friday.
Saying that of the 15 lakh or so IT professionals in Bengaluru, only about seven lakh are Kannadigas, he called for the creation of a conducive atmosphere in tier II cities like Mangaluru for IT firms to set up units.
“The growth of the IT sector is concentrated in Bengaluru. It should percolate to tier II cities. If the current trend continues, tier II cities will be facing the danger of becoming ‘intellectual deserts’,” he said. “We need good jobs, training and scholarships to attract youngsters into the IT sector rather than the various bhagyas of the government.”
Referring to Mangaluru, he said elected representatives should make efforts by providing necessary infrastructure for IT companies to come in. A report of the IT Vision Group for Mangaluru is gathering dust, he added.
Ramdas Kamath U., chairman of the Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF), said that since the fund’s inception six years ago, scholarships worth Rs. 15 crore have been given to over 12,000 Konkani speakers.
