WB hopes to grab major chunk of offshoring market

Kolkata, Sept 19 (UNI) With IT exports expected to increase from $ 13.3 billion in 2003-04 to an estimated $ 148 billion by 2011-12, West Bengal is poised to grab a big chunk of the offshoring market in India, state IT secretary Siddharth said.

With 30,000 students passing out of English medium schools in Kolkata alone, the state is well poised to grab a big chunk of the off-shoring market in India, Siddharth said.

He said he was optimistic about the future of IT in the state and the country as well.

"We are trying to turn Webel Informatics Limited into a full-fledged training and placement company for the IT industry in the state. We will shortly begin work in this direction," Siddharth told UNI.

The employment in the sector has increased from 2.84 lakh in 1999-200 to 12.87 lakh in 2005-06 and is expected to provide employment to another million by 2012, he added.

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