CHENNAI: The Bill Gates-Jayalalithaa meeting at the Secretariat on Friday morning was held in three sessions. The first was a one-on-one session. This was followed by the launch of the teachers' training programme via teleconference and a Cabinet room discussion on the State Government's IT initiative and programmes.

The Microsoft chief is reported to have shown "keen interest" in the on-going teachers' training programme in which his company has partnered the State's efforts to take IT to the schools. He was told that the programme helped with the training modules.

During the discussions, the Chief Minister raised the issues of rural connectivity and the need to "bridge the digital divide." The basic connectivity with the districts and the "last mile dial-up" arrangement had put in place the minimum infrastructure for e-governance.

Ms. Jayalalithaa made out a case for a "stronger presence" of Microsoft in the State. Mr. Gates responded "positively," assuring her that Tamil Nadu would top the list when Microsoft decides to expand its operations. He was impressed with the "talent pool" available here and was told that the "rate of attrition was the lowest" in the State in the IT sector.

Investing in `Tier-2' cities

Rohit Kumar, Country Head (Public sector), told reporters at the Secretariat that Microsoft Corporation (India) was considering issues related to investing in `Tier-2' cities. Mr. Kumar, who was part of a delegation led by the Microsoft chairman, which met Ms. Jayalalithaa, said no decision had been taken. "We are looking at the overall pros and cons of big cities and small cities in different States. The whole plan is underway."

On Mr. Gates' announcement that Microsoft would invest $1.7 billion in India in the next four years, he said the company had only announced its overall plans for the country and "we do not break them down by city or State. As such, future expansions are going to be looked at every year as to where Microsoft will invest and where to expand."

To a query on the role of Microsoft's research centre opened in Bangalore this year in bridging the digital divide in the country, Mr. Kumar said its basic function was to understand how to bring about a change in the life of people in rural India through Information Technology.

The personnel were spending a lot of time in villages trying to understand how people lived. This would help them evolve the required technology. The process would take more time than the product cycle.

He described the meeting the Microsoft delegation had with Ms. Jayalalithaa as "very positive and warm."

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