Karnataka now plans to promote its animation firms

Always a step ahead in tapping new opportunities to sustain higher growth levels in IT exports, Karnataka is now poised to explore the vast potential in animation and media technology after business process outsourcing (BPO).

Speaking to Business Standard here on Thursday on the sidelines of a road show to promote the annual IT.Com 2004 scheduled to be held from November 1-5 at Bangalore, B V Naidu, director of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Bangalore, said that Karnataka was now planning to package the services available in this sector to attract business from the world over.

"Bangalore has five to six companies engaged in this area of activity. We will offer their services as a package to the world," he said. Keeping in line with the new avenues of growth of the ICT sector, the theme of Bangalore IT.Com 2004 this year is 'Shape of the future with ICMT (information, communication and media technology)'. The event will have a special pavilion on animation, games and media technology.

The joint effort by both the government and industry on expanding to new business areas assumes significance against the backdrop of a slowdown in IT exports.

According to Naidu, the growth in IT exports from Karnataka is expected to be around 30 per cent this year as against 47 per cent growth achieved in the previous year.

Addressing a media conference, M K Shankaralinge Gowda, secretary, department of IT, BT and Science and Technology of the Karnataka government, said that Karnataka was looking at building similar IT clusters in second tier cities like Mysore and Mangalore. According to him, about 50,000 students would be absorbed by BPO companies based out of Karnataka.

The Karnataka government this year will also conduct BPO skill assessment test to about three lakh students, he said.

About 400 companies are expected to participate in IT.Com 2004, which is hosted by Department of IT, government of Karnataka, in partnership with STPI Bangalore. The event will have several conferences, workshops and networking forums.