Upset over the government "not keeping its word" on improving infrastructure in Bangalore, India's tech capital, a group of top software companies have decided to boycott Karnataka's flagship IT event, "Bangalore.IT.COM 2005," to be held in October.
With infrastructure failing to keep pace with the city's growth, triggered by the IT boom, software firms are repeatedly showing their indignation at the government.
"We have waited for one year. Lot of assurances were given by the government before the Bangalore IT.Com last year. But the results on ground are not adequate," Bobby Mitra, managing director of Texas Instruments, told PTI.
A group of IT companies had last year decided to boycott the IT event but retraced their step after the government held out a promise that it would move fast enough to make the city better, particularly its roads, and decongest traffic.
"But, the results are not coming," Mitra said. A group of companies, he said, had decided to boycott the event and added that this time, their decision would be "irreversible".
The companies, he said, were working "diligently" with the government but there were no results.
J Veeraraghavan, managing director of Novell Software Development (India), said the government had assured them last year just a few weeks before the Bangalore IT.Com event that they "will do something but nothing much has been happening".
"Very little has happened on ground. If things improve next year, we will participate in the event," Veeraraghavan said, but made it clear that they would boycott this year's event.
He said the government did not act on its commitments given last year.
The companies, he said, had nothing against the government and their primary intent was to get the people of Bangalore good infrastructure. "We are willing to support the government in a positive way with the approach 'help us to help you'."
HP GlobalSoft president and CEO Som Mittal said the government had assured them of "some actions" last year on improving the infrastructure on short term.
"We are disappointed that the government is going at a slow pace", he said. In that context, "we are considering whether we should boycott (the event).
The Bangalore IT event, touted as Asia's largest information technology show, is being held in Bangalore from October 26 to 29. Each year, it attracts top names of the IT sector from India and abroad.
Complaints about inadequate infrastructure in Bangalore, India's IT showpiece, have been growing shriller in recent months.
Responding to concerns of the IT sector, Union Minister for Communications Dayanidhi Maran, had told the IT sector top executives in Bangalore last week, "I know you are a little upset with infrastructure in Bangalore, particularly traffic.
He assured the IT honchos that the Centre and the state government would do their best to see that the infrastructure issue was addressed.
Karnataka accounts for one third of India's software exports. The state had recorded a growth of 52 per cent in 2004-2005, with its software and BPO exports touching Rs 27,600 crore (RS 276 billion), the highest in three years, making up 33 per cent of India's total exports.
Reacting to the IT industry complaints, Chief Minister N Dharam Singh has also been repeatedly mentioning that the government would deliver the goods on providing better infrastructure in Bangalore.