After the encouraging response to India BPO Scheme (IBPS) launched by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Centre is planning to offer incentives to BPOs operating out from in non-metro locations, to provide jobs to women.
“We have launched an exercise to finalise a programme for giving incentives for women empowerment. Under the IBPS, our endeavour is to provide jobs to the locals and encourage entrepreneurship and make India the most preferred destination for IT and ITES units,” STPI Director General Omkar Rai told The Hindu .
He said that under IBPS that was launched with a budgetary outlay of ₹493 crore, they were able to provide 36% of jobs to women and disclosed that there was a proposal under consideration to offer incentives to BPOs which encourage women to work from home on parttime or fulltime or on flexitime basis.
“Educated home-makers, besides taking care of their children and domestic chores, can now take up jobs as per their convenience. They will have the satisfaction of doing something creative to supplement to their family income,” Mr. Rai explained.
‘Andhra Pradesh excels’
Launched in 2017, IBPS aims at attracting investments to the BPO sector beyond the metros. Incidentally, Andhra Pradesh is on top of bagging the sanctioned seats among all the States.
Of the allotted seats of 48,300 across 107 tier II and III cities and towns, 243 seats are now operational. As per the population, Andhra Pradesh is eligible for 2200 seats but it has secured sanction for 14,692 seats-highest among all the States. Mr. Rai said AP had become a role model for other States to emulate.
Of 55 companies allotted to A.P., 45 are operational. North Andhra region has bagged a lion’s share of seats allotted to the State. So far, 32 units in Visakhapatnam and 12 in Vizianagaram are under operation.STPI (Visakhapatnam) Joint Director M.P. Dubey said the Pulses had recently started a 100-seater facility at Palakonda in Srikakulam district, for which it had started recruiting the local youth.
Huge potential
In Visakhapatnam, major BPOs which have started their operations under the IBPS are Omix, Conduent, WNS and Federal Bank. The Miracle has started a 1800-seater facility at Bhogapuram of Vizianagaram district. Realising the huge potential, the Sutherland, Uber and health unit of the TCS are showing interest to invest in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Dubey added.
