Jhajra (Dehradun): Describing as "not fair" the recent US Federal law banning outsourcing of jobs to other countries, including India, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Jan 28, 2004) said there should be open competition in IT-enabled services sector.

"Some countries are bringing laws to ban outsourcing. This is not fair," he told a gathering in Jhajra without directly referring to the Federal law voted by the US Senate last week.

Pointing out that developed nations earlier used to ask developing ones to liberalise their market economy, the Prime Minister lamented such laws were being enacted at a time when Indian youth were creating their niche in IT and software sector worldwide.

But, he said this is an era of competition and "only the best would survive," (Pratiyogita ka zamana hai, jiska maal achcha hoga, wahi bikega).

"I know Indian goods are the best in the world and the economy is buoyant," Vajpayee said amidst thunderous applause.

"I have heard Indian computer engineers have captured the Silicon Valley of the US. But now we can find more computer engineers in Bangalore than in Silicon Valley," the Prime Minister, who was in Jhajra to inaugurate a tribal institute, said.

He hailed the high-growth IT industry and its contribution to the economy, noting that during 2002-03, it exports stood at Rs 47,000 crore.

In 2003, 75,000 jobs were created in it and software technology industry alone, Vajpayee added.

"This shows employment opportunities were also generated along with money."

Vajpayee dismissed the Opposition's contention that unemployment was growing due to economic reforms.

"This propaganda is not right. "Every year, we are generating nearly 80 lakh jobs," he said.