STPI goes Online

The Software Technology Parks of India's decision to go online
for the registration of increasingly large number of IT companies has been a
wise one. It has done so with the help of Oracle's application. This procedure
will not only save time and effort of various organisations, but also eliminate
the need for manually registration while effectively providing services to the
software export units coming up in the country.

Keeping in mind the large number of software exporters being
registered in India, it was becoming a difficult task for Software Technology
Parks of India (STPI) to maintain and process registration requests. Hence the
organization decided to go for Oracle's application to ease out on the
registration process.

"We have just completed the first phase of
implementation of Oracle application including customization and interface
computerization. The implementation is being done in pursuance with the
e-Government initiative of the Government of India. It will help in
simplification of procedures for over 7,000 software export units across the
country who transact with us," informs, Arvind Kumar, Senior Director with
STPI.

The system as it stands today, helps potential software
exporter to register online. It eliminates the need for procedures like manual
inspection and is also likely to save time and effort for software exporters as
well as the STPI.

Advantage online registration

"This procedure will surely reduce the time and effort required to do
this manually. The exporters will apply online for registration and get the
digital registration certificate instantly online after furnishing all the
required documents. Nothing will be done manually from now. All the payments
will be taken with the help of credit cards — so there would be no hassles in
this system," he said.

Arvind added that once the Oracle implementation is over, it
would reduce transaction time for the existing units but will also be able to
gear up to effectively provide services to the ever-expanding base of software
units coming up in the country. The project is being managed by
PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"The implementation of Oracle Applications is in
pursuance with the e-Governance initiative of the Government of India and will
not only help in improving process efficiencies within the organization but also
help in simplification of procedures for the over 7,000 software export units
across the country who transact with us," explained Arvind.

"Once the Oracle implementation is over, we will
effectively provide services to the ever-expanding base of software export units
coming up in the country," Arvind added.

STPI also announced online E-procurement, including all
business and regulatory transactions in the Purchase to pay cycle. With the help
of this online e-procurement engine, STPI will be able to process all tenders
online only.

"This procedure will enable computerization of the
entire process of tendering. So from now onwards, computer will decide on the L1
without any intervention of humans — hence it will also eliminate any chance
of corruption within the system. "We are proud to be a part of this project
and to contribute towards decreasing the time required for processing
registration of software units in India. Moving forward we would continue to
work closely with the government segment in this direction," said SPS
Grover, Senior Director, Oracle

India.

Registration charges

The registration fee for companies is Rs 2,500 and Rs 500 for industries,
which could be paid online through credit card. The entire project is targeted
to complete by March 2006 and the estimated project cost is around Rs 5 crore.

Through web-based registrations, software exporters can
procure their registration certificate instantly, online after furnishing all
required documentation. Through online procurement, STPI's purchase to pay
cycle will be simplified and all transactions and interfaces with vendors will
take place through the web ensuring greater transparency and efficiency.

Under the proposed second phase of implementation, STPI will
automate business processes across its 45 centers and sub-centers using Oracle
applications modules including finance, HR with self service, payroll,
procurement, sales, order management, inventory management, enterprise asset
management, service management and projects.

STPI is a facilitator and service provider for the software,
electronic hardware, information technology enabled services exporters and has
45 centers and sub-centers at different locations in India. The organization
employs around 600 people at these locations and deals with over 7,000
software-exporting units. STPI, which is responsible for issuing registration
certificates, providing statutory services, export certification, import duty
exemption related services.

ZIA ASKARI