Thiruvananthapuram: With politicians once again knocking at their doors seeking votes, techies are coming up with genuine concerns.
In a bid to kick off serious deliberations on the pressing problems faced by those working in the IT industry, techies are putting forward a set of demands to ensure that they are provided adequate social security, including mandatory pension and health schemes. TechnoparkToday.com, a social network of techies, has initiated the campaign: ‘What techies want from the MP’.
Job security of those working in the IT sector, national pension scheme, housing and health schemes, enforcement of labour rules in the IT sector and incentives for firms that offer permanent placements instead of contract jobs are the suggestions put forward by Anoop Varghese, who has kicked off the campaign in TechnoparkToday.com.
“The IT industry here is now maturing. Youths who had jumped into the IT bandwagon with much enthusiasm when it kicked off here about 15 years ago, are now becoming old. Their future prospects are shrinking. Hence it's high time we chalked out some steps for the social security of those working in the sector”, said Varghese who has been in the IT field for about a decade.
“Job security and the longevity of a job are of concern to most techies. The Government could set aside a portion of income tax collected from techies to create a pension fund for them or allow a relief fund to techies who lose jobs. The National Pension Scheme should be made mandatory for permanent employees in the IT sector,” suggested Varghese. He also suggested that housing schemes like the Employees Provident Fund housing scheme and health schemes like Employees State Insurance Corporation scheme be extended to the IT sector.
TechnoparkToday has invited further suggestions from techies on what they expect from members of parliament.
