The National Aluminium Company limited (Nalco) has instituted a State-level award for the outstanding Start-Ups in the IT and IT Enabled Services (ITES).
The award shall carry a purse of Rs1 lakh and a citation, which will be handed over to the awardee during Nalco’s Foundation Day celebration. Nalco CMD Dr Tapan Kumar Chand made this announcement while addressing the second edition of Advantage Odisha, business-technology-leadership conference, organized by The Telegraph and INFOCOM. The conference was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday.
“Odisha has emerged as a leading State in the ongoing change process. World Bank Report has identified Odisha as an ‘Aspiring leader’ in terms of ‘Ease-of-doing- Business’ in India. In this context, there is a great need to further this growth trajectory through concerted efforts from all sectors. In this regard, the role of IT and ITES sector is very significant,” Dr Chand said.
Moreover, the entire Odisha is home to more than 450 engineering and management colleges, including diploma and ITI institutes, to source skilled manpower. At the same time, Bhubaneswar has topped the ‘Smart City’ list. This has become an added advantage. In terms of infrastructure also, Odisha is well poised as compared to the national scenario. While the road density in the State is more than the national average, in terms of rail density, it is at par with the national standards, Dr Chand asserted.
Further, in the Railway Budget 2016, the Centre has enhanced the budget allocation to Odisha by 30 per cent than the previous fiscal, which would definitely prove instrumental in the future growth plans of the State, creating a favourable climate for industrialization and entrepreneurship. Apart from being a pollution-free city, Bhubaneswar has also attracted investors and encouraged upcoming entrepreneurs for its sound law and order situation, Dr Chand added.
Among others, Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das, Department of Electronics and IT, Principal Secretary PK Jena, MCl CMD AK Jha, and Software Technology Parks of India Director General Dr Omkar Rai were present.