Bellary BPO: By women.  For women. 
By Sree
 
Welcome to a world of all-women techies, the result of an initiative taken by another enterprising woman. JSoft Solutions, the software arm of the Sajjan Jindal led JSW group, India's third largest steel maker, at the initiative of Mrs. Sangita Jindal, chairperson of the JSW Foundation, has started an all-women 100 seater BPO at Bellary in Karnataka.
 
The BPO which was created primarily to provide job opportunities for educated rural women, who because of social restrictions were not allowed to venture out of the villages like their male counterparts, has resulted in a win- win scenario for all involved. The women employees, who became financially independent, experienced a greater self-worth and earned renewed respect from their families and the community. The management too is happy because of the extremely low (almost nil) attrition rate coupled with a high degree of commitment.
 
Set up with an investment of Rs. 1 crore, the BPO presently offers non-voice processes, such as data-entry and digitization services outsourced by the ICICI Bank and Chennai based Lason India. Encouraged by the success story, the JSW group is planning to upgrade the Data Hali (data village) to a 1000-seater voice BPO in the near future.
 
In a country, where gender bias against women is generally the norm, the Bellary BPO offers a refreshing exception. However, it might be interesting to note that, JSoft Solutions, which is actively involved into empowering rural women and has a policy of preferential employment for the fair sex in all the JSoft centers, comprises of an all-men management team.