Experts stress for mass market for HW industry

BANGALORE: Create a mass market and a good eco-system for the hardware

industry products, stressed industry experts during the National Symposium of

challenges and opportunities in IT, organized by MAIT (Manufacturers Association

of Information Technology).

"Take your products to the masses, typecast your products for the masses’

benefits, provide access instead of selling it to them, don't make them invest

instead make them pay for using it. A delivery model similar to what PCOs did to

telephone. As CK Prahalad would say, "Serving the poor could be good

business", so address the 300 million deprived society instead of

repeatedly addressing the five million creamy layer of the society, who can

afford to buy. Supplementing this should be the immediate addressing of 100 per

cent depreciation and bring down the 16 per cent excise duty tax," said TVS

Finance head e-business L Subramanyam.

Wipro ePeripherals CEO and managing director Ram Agarwal said that a good

eco-system has to be created for the benefit of the industry. Successful stories

include Amul, PCOs, the green revolution in 60s and software revolutions in 90s

and mass computer education. The government should have a tax exemption during

the initial years. This should benefit the hardware industry to a great extent,

what with products like Simputer, iStation, Smart (TVSE-POS) and SmartPrint

developed by Indian companies are hitting the market. These products address the

crust of issues such as affordability, accessibility and necessity for the

masses to use it."

However, the world's richest Indian and Wipro's chief Azim Premji, giving the

key note address for the symposium reflected on the myths and realities of the

hardware industry. He also compared China and Israel as successful IT superpower

in hardwares. Concluding, he stressed on "focus on domestic hardware growth

to build vibrant software industry, future exports and high value-added

businesses both in India as well as abroad."

Also featuring in the symposium was the fact that three IT secretaries of

state governments, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were present and

chaired the three sessions of challenges and opportunities in IT products,

facilitating the hardware industry and success stories.