Wilson urges Orissa entrepreneurs to access data bank on UK

Bhubaneswar, Mar 12 (UNI) British Deputy High Commissioner to Eastern India Simon Wilson today urged the entrepreneurs from Orissa to forge business links with the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom, the third largest inward investor in India since 1991, was keen to see more cooperation in bio tech, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, automotive, engineering ICT and other hi-tech areas, Mr Wilson said, inaugurating the new British Information Centre at the Dr Harekrushna Mahatab State Library here.

Stating that the Centre will be a valuable source of information for entrepreneurs looking for UK involvement in their businesses,the British Deputy High Commissioner said in the coming months, the Centre will be equipped to allow businessmen to access huge databanks on UK companies and products and provide access to large trade and Industry knowledge banks.

The Centre, he said, would also act as a Post Office to refer serious trade enquires to the all-India British trade network and ensure that all requests are answered.

Primarily designed to be compatible with the Internet generation, the centre, Mr Wilson said would provide information by linking the user with a host of dedicated UK websites.

Using the computers at the Centre, the user could assess the largest information on the activities of the British High Commission, the British Council and the Department for International Development, the UK's developmental ministry.

Mr Wilson said education will be the thrust area for future Indo-UK partnership adding that India students in the UK have risen from 4000 five years ago to over 20,000 today.

''We need to reinvest in top level educational links and steps have been taken recently to further our educational exchanges,'' he said while stating that nearly 700 scholarship awards, which include full and part funded scholarships and bursaries (including Chevening) are being offered to Indians by UK institutions each year.

Orissa Information and Technology and Culture Minister S.N.Patra welcomed the relocation of the Information centre with modern facilities and hoped that the centre would help the people from all walks of life access the information about the United Kingdom.

The centre, he said, would help further strengthen the cultural and business relations between India and United Kingdom.

UNI