Bangalore: Urging BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) and ITeS (Information Technology-enabled Services) firms to set up their operations in the secondary cities of the State, Karnataka Chief Minister Dharm Singh today said Government plans to replicate a pilot project at Hubli to improve soft skills in youngsters across the State and gear them up for the booming BPO industry.

"We have successfully implemented a programme to improve soft skills among the youth for the BPO industry. We will attempt to replicate this in other secondary cities," Singh said at valedictory event of the Nasscom ITeS-BPO strategy summit in Bangalore.

Singh assured the IT industry of the Government's commitment in promoting the sector, but did not respond to the plea of the industry leaders to improve the power and road infrastructure in the State.

Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies) President Kiran Karnik urged Singh to take steps in improving the power supply and road infrastructure in Bangalore and also in the secondary cities like Mysore and Mangalore.

"There should be open skies policy, the Chief Minister should impress the Centre to increase direct flights to Bangalore and get the international airport project on the fast track," Karnik said.