Bangalore: Rajeeva Ratna Shah, Secretary, Industry Policy and Promotion, Government of India, today inaugurated the second seminar at Bangalore IT.COM 2003.

Presenting the inaugural address at the Government – IT Enabler seminar at Taj West End, he said, "Bangalore IT.COM is a landmark event in the ICT world. The IT scenario is upbeat along with the rest of the industry. Over 1,100 corporates have turned in their first quarter accounts, with a profitability of more than 20 per cent. The steel industry has wiped out the accumulated losses of last year, the textile industry is also upbeat and the auto industry has shown a 20 per cent rate of growth in exports."

He highlighted the unique characteristics of the ICT industry and stated that it held the key to portals of new domains of knowledge.

The Guest of Honour at the seminar, Subir Hari Singh, Principal Secretary, Industry and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, discussed the various regulations and policies that have helped create a positive environment for the IT industry in Karnataka. He highlighted the zoning regulations and amendments in the labour laws. He also discussed the Special Economic Zones Act, which has created a one-point contact to meet all requirements, and the recent initiative to create a sector-specific economic zone.

During the panel discussion on city infrastructure, M R Sreenivasa Murthy, Commissioner, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP), highlighted the successful projects undertaken by the public–private sector partnerships over the past 18 months such as public toilets, bus services etc. He mentioned that BMP has computerised its offices and very soon people will be able to pay property tax online.

According to Murthy, "Bangalore has close to 4,000 km of road and the BMP has been able to re- surface 1,200 km of road over the past three years. Most roads of Bangalore will wear a new look in the next six months including sidewalks."

During the panel discussion, Upendra Tripathy from Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) stated that various initiatives were being undertaken by the Government to make commuting a better experience for all. More issues faced by the common public were brought to the table. The session was concluded with an interactive session between the panel members and audience on ways to improve the infrastructure of Bangalore.

Rajeeva Ratna Shah, Secretary, Industry Policy and Promotion, Government of India, today (November 2) inaugurated the second seminar at Bangalore IT.COM 2003.