‘I am a perennial optimist’

 

VARINDIA catches up with Mr. Prem Behl, Chairman & Managing Director, Exhibitions India Group to know more about his thoughts on the initiatives of smart city in the country, last mile connectivity and many more -

What is your opinion on how smart city will bring the transformation to the country?

India is on the move, and is a nation in transition with digital India, smart villages and smart cities initiatives. At the click of a mouse, documents that are more than 200 years old can be e-archived and saved; low value transfers can be completed, and land disputes resolved speedily, which will further accelerate India's growth rate. With reference to smart cities, India faces the challenge of continuous migration from rural to urban habitats, leading to an additional strain on the existing inadequate delivery of services to citizens. Smart cities have the potential to create more efficient and adaptable ways to manage cities in India. Today, the world is eyeing India as a lucrative market, and this provides an opportunity for us to work towards smartening the existing infrastructure, and to provide better governance to the people.

What is the main role can Social Media plays in this regard?

Like the rest of the developed world, India too is embracing social media in a big way. The key delivering of any social media strategy is to reach your targeted audience. Digital media is a new and exciting area for India; and our Prime Minister is a legendary example of the effective use of social media. He has understood the power of social media, perhaps better than most, and, therefore, his vision to transform India into a Digital India needs to be applauded. Social media is huge. Twitter, one of the largest social media platforms, has witnessed incredible growth in India, while Facebook has more than 100 million users in the country. This is a most efficient platform for any democracy to connect with the youth of the country.

What are some of the last mile connectivity issues that persist in India, and act as a constraint in its penetration?

I am perennial optimist. Where roads do not, or cannot, reach, the information superhighways can be an excellent alternative. The initiatives that the government has taken here augur well for future of the country. I feel that issues of spectrum limitations and business model feasibilities will be addressed this year and beyond. Infrastructure, and the lack of skilled manpower, is another issue that the industry faces, which is being addressed aggressively by the government.

In your view, is the growing e-retail business signaling another dotcom bubble in the market? How do you foresee the market 5 years from now?

As the economy continues to grow rapidly, the efficiency of retail transactions will also grow. This is an economic cycle. As e-retail grows, the moneys generated will be re-invested in supplier eco-systems, and a proliferation of small and medium companies will ride on this development. A large proportion of the online business is beginning to come from tier-II and tier-III cities, where goods were not available due to inadequate distribution systems. E-commerce has yet to reach a tipping point. It has a long way to go, and in the coming 5 years you can expect to see a further boom; with SME’s taking advantage of the opportunities that come their way.