The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Enhance supply chain to create jobs: Infosys chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 07, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Enhance supply chain to create jobs: Infosys chief

Special Correspondent

`There is need to introduce automation to improve productivity' `Outsourcing has become synonymous with software. We have to go beyond that and include manufacturing in that definition as China has done.'

Bangalore: Infosys Chairman and Chief Mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy has called for enhancing the supply chain to create millions of jobs.

"One of the important components of supply chain is the Customs and Central Excise Department. There is a very clear imperative to introduce automation to improve productivity, cut cost per transaction and improve customer service. Technology reduces costs, cuts cycle time and brings transparency and accountability," he told the international conference on information and communication technology organised by the World Customs Organisation here on Thursday.

Mr. Narayana Murthy said that outsourcing has become synonymous with software. "We have to go beyond that and include manufacturing in that definition as China has done," he said suggesting that India should look at low-tech manufacturing to start with and then move into high-tech manufacturing in a big way to improve the standard and quality of living of the citizens.

Outlining the benefits for Customs Department in utilising information technology, Wipro Chairman Azim Premji said that if higher volumes of export-import cargo had to be handled by the ports in shorter lead times, productivity apart from resource augmentation would be the key. "By connecting Delhi to ports in various parts of the country through the use of IT, we can ensure uniformity in documentation. We can also pro-actively complete documentation. For instance, we can complete the process of Bill of Entry a week before the imported goods arrive. Similarly, one can complete the processing of Manifest long before export. The Indian IT industry is doing so much to improve efficiencies all over the world, it can certainly do a lot for its own country," he said.

In his welcome address, WCO Secretary General Michel Dent said that Customs officials must act as facilitators of international trade and function as a catalyst for development of trade and contribute to alleviation of poverty. He said the conference would focus on some important IT related tools that Customs would have to deal with and also on issues concerning outsourcing. Calling for greater use of IT in Customs operations, he said the use of biometrics and biomarkers could benefit the functioning of Customs in countering bio-terrorisms and other security risks.

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