New Delhi: Software association National Association of Software Services Companies (NASSCOM) on August 29 said the move of Ministry of Communications and IT to permit outgoing calls in domestic call centres would help streamline the operations for business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and give a fillip to the sector.

"We are pleased that government has been prompt and receptive in accepting almost all of our recommendations as and when they have arisen, especially with respect to IT Enabled Services (ITES) ITES-BPO sector," NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik said in a statement in New Delhi.

The latest initiative relates to permitting outgoing calls in domestic call centres and foreign-end connectivity in the international call centre through the use of "ATM or frame relay based international networks", according to NASSCOM.

Pointing out that there had been a need to simplify and remove certain bottlenecks that had been hampering the growth of Indian ITES-BPO industry, Karnik said "these policy amendments will help streamline operations for the ITES (business process outsourcing) industry."

NASSCOM after consultation with top 50 ITES-BPO players in India had submitted a list of recommendations on various licensing and connectivity issues to Department of Telecom on April 11, 2002.

PTI