Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration of Jammu and Kashmir’s first rural Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) unit in Bandipora in 2019 was a historic milestone, setting the stage for digital transformation and employment generation in the district. Bandipora’s BPO unit, the first of its kind in Kashmir, has already showcased its potential by providing opportunities for local youth to build careers in the Information Technology (IT) sector without having to migrate to cities. With providing employment to about 200 seats at a time, the centre has successfully trained hundreds of indiviuals since 2019, empowering them with employable skills and creating avenues for socio-economic growth.
While this single BPO has proven to be a game-changer, the question arises: why has this model not been replicated in other districts? The Union Budget has already earmarked provisions for expanding BPOs in the UT, yet two years have passed without significant progress. The lack of concrete action, from land identification to mobilizing administrative machinery, highlights a concerning inertia in the implementation process. Little Knowledge to the officers including DCs about the project endagers the sustainability of already existing BPO in Bandipora, least to talk about new projects. BPO’s hold immense potential to address unemployment and foster digital service delivery. Functions such as customer support, payroll management, technical assistance, and market research can be effectively outsourced, saving costs and enhancing efficiency for businesses While Govt can also use these BPO services for a range of activities to reach out to people for implementation of various welfare schemes. For a region like Jammu and Kashmir, these units could attract investors, entrepreneurs, and even multinational corporations to establish operations, boosting the local economy and positioning the UT as a hub for digital services. Bandipora’s success demonstrates how even a single BPO can create ripples of transformation. However, to harness this potential fully, district administrations must be actively involved in planning and execution. The UT government must also address the existing gaps by expediting processes such as incentives to the Companies to attract to the districts besides land allocation, infrastructure development, and the integration of BPOs into district-level economic planning. Funds and provisions under the IBPS are available, removing financial constraints as an excuse. The onus lies on the government to act swiftly and decisively. Expanding BPOs across Jammu and Kashmir is not merely an economic initiative but a socio-digital revolution.
