PANAJI: Amazon India, an Internet-based retailer, which is looking for collaborative efforts with the state government, in the field of information technology, has decided to explore ‘unique and famous’ products from the Mapusa market such as Goan salt, for marketing on its Launchpad platform. The widely popular Mapusa market has already gone online.
Director of public policy for Amazon India Avinash Ramachandra, who led a team that held initial interaction with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, at his residence Thursday morning, also displayed keen interest in marketing the traditional Kunbi dress, as it has previously done with Telangana’s local hand-made ‘Golkonda’ handicraft products on its e-commerce portal.
The Chief Minister, during the talks with the team said that his government has ‘Digital India’ as the base of the IT-based projects in Goa, adding that the government is ready for creating a window for mutual agenda linked to the collaboration.
Director for information technology Ameya Abhyankar and Goan IT entrepreneur Nitin Kunkolienkar were also present on the occasion.
Amazon India, which has agreed to create start-up eco-system for Goa, will also provide Launchpad to sell products from Goa, as well as Amazon Web Services (AWS) linked to apps and cloud applications.
Stating that the start-up would, however, need some kind of funding, Ramachandra said, he would like to have new-age entrepreneurs on the Amazon India platform. “The customer experience is our philosophy,” he added, pointing out that the company would also need warehouses in Goa, as it uses its logistics to pick up and deliver tahe products. The state IT director maintained that the government wants to roll out the Electronic City project at Tuem, in Pernem taluka, as early as September 2016. “The work of this project will start after the monsoon and the first phase, spread across a land admeasuring 30 acres, would be complete by the end of December 2016,” he added, mentioning that the Electronic City will have small hubs and clusters, keeping in view the future processes and future products.
Speaking further, Abhyankar said that Internet is the key driver for all IT-related projects, and the only problem faced is access to Internet. “We want to plug lack of access to Internet,” he added.
The IT director also informed that till date, 40 companies have been registered under the Goa IT Policy, with the government aiming to bring at least 200 companies under its fold. “The government will also open up its state-of-the-art training laboratory along with training tools, whenever Amazon India would need to train the locals,” he assured, while stressing on the need to revisit school curriculum vis-à-vis education in information technology.
Rakesh Bakshi, legal head of Amazon India, stated that to run a more compliant business, the company would also have to consider legal issues from the beginning of all projects.
Manoj Rajendran, Amazon India, Bengaluru, said that new ideas will generate from fertile places, and Goa is a perfect place to generate new ideas. “Goa also has good communication skills,” he added. The discussion further delved upon e-commerce adoption and private equity support.