Data protection laws being drawn up, says Maran

The Centre is in the process of drawing up a comprehensive data protection law in consultation with the IT industry, said Union communications and IT minister Dayanidhi Maran in Bangalore on Saturday.

Inaugurating e4e Inc's new delivery centre in Bangalore, Maran said, with increased outsourcing activity being concentrated towards India, data protection laws is an urgent need.

"Information technology is among the top priorities of the government and it is up to the industry to get the laws facilitated as fast as they want," Maran added.

He noted that India is riding the second big wave with BPOs and this needs efficiency in delivery of technology services and "should adopt innovative business structures".

Meanwhile, e4e Inc officials announced that they will hire 2,000 more people to raise the headcount at its four group companies "" Aztec Software, Iseva, Icelerate and Vinciti "" to 5,000 by the end of 2005 from the current strength of 3,000.

The new centre will work in tandem with its seven global locations in India, Europe and US. e4e enables services-on-tap in a 'cafeteria style' through horizontal integration of services. According to e4e, this kind of a service offering minimises overheads resulting from managing multiple vendors, processes and delivery facilities.

"We have reached a point of inflection after starting off in 2000 and are now poised for a phenomenal organic and inorganic growth in the next 24 months," said K B Chandrasekhar, chairman of e4e.

The topline of the four companies put together is currently at just less that $100 million and is expected to beat the industry average of nearly 30 per cent.