DSFC has invited the top operators whose monthly billing exceeds Rs 20,000. It has agreed in principle to provide soft loans to buy the personal computers and other equipment to be able to launch internet kiosk services at the earliest. About 25 such kiosks are expected to re-equip themselves by the end of the year.

Public tele-info centres were recommended to be set up by the national IT task force. It was accepted by the central government, but this is the first real positive development that is taking place to see that recommendation become a reality, according to Nasscom president Dewang Mehta.

He was speaking on Tuesday at a panel discussion and press conference oragnised by Microland, the organiser of the IndiaInternet World '99.

Mehta said the country's first video mail, or v-mail, will be commercially launched on October 2. "With the assistance of Nasscom, 20 internet kiosks in Mumbai have joined hands in this effort. They are presently being equipped with the technology by us and will be in a position to launch commercial service soon," he said.

According to Mehta, the national internet backbone which is being established already, will give a big boost to internet services and information proliferation in India.

Besides NIB, nine states including, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi and Karnataka, have independently tied up with Worldtel of Sam Pitroda for setting up their own statewide optic fibre network which will ultimately be integrated with the NIB, Dewang pointed out. "This will provide plug-and-play facility to the villages which are connected by it, leading to the real ushering of the internet in the country," said Mehta.

He also said that the Cyber Laws bill wasready to be introduced in Lok Sabha during the winter session of Parliament. It involves the digital signature act to enable the electronic encryption of signatures and essential changes in the existing laws.

Mehta also gave what he called a `five-point mantra' to boost the IT sector. "We require a world-class infrastrucutre with competitive tariffs, cyber laws, private venture capital funds and use of internet for distance education," he said.

"Venture capital funds should be encouraged to grow in the private sector. How can a government fund function efficiently when there is the constant fear of investigations later," added Mehta.

The panelists said venture capital funds should be allowed to exit through mergers and acquisitions for such funds to be successful in the country. Venture funds are a necessary requisite for successful start-ups in information technology and they should not be restricted to the exit route of only the initial public offerings, they said.