Recently when I visited my Aunty in Pune, she was complaining about the youngsters who are working in IT companies. It seems these young kids inflating the prices in the city. Pune is emerging as a new IT hub for many multi nationals and Indian Software giants due to various reasons. The climate is very conducive for international clients. Adequate water supply and electricity favours the industries. Connectivity from Mumbai through an international standard Express Highway can take you to the city in 2 to 2 and half hours.
Previously Pune supposed to be an industrial city, now becoming an IT hub due to various drawbacks of Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai. I read some survey about the highly developing cities in India which has the top 2 positions with Gurgaon and Pune.
Coming back to the spending habits of IT people, it is certain that people working in other sectors affecting because of this. Real estate businesses are soaring; even tomato and brinjal prices are hiked in these cities. Small departmental stores also started to pack vegetables in plastic bags and pricing them with almost double the price. Now a day, chopped vegetables are available especially for these people with a higher price. Ready instant meals are coming into markets targeting these people.
When other sector people are struggling to pay a house rent of 10000 p.m., the young people working in software industries who are away from their homes ready to pay the rents by sharing the flat with 3 to 4 friends of their kind. They are utilizing the house only to stay at nights. So their water and power consumptions also relatively low. So obviously the house owners in these cities prefer to rent their flats to these kids only.
These guys are ready to buy flats and lands immediately even if they are few lakhs higher than the normal price. Recently there is a township called Estancia in Chennai advertised for their flats targeting these IT sector people even before they start construction. Much to the surprise many flats were booked on in first week by paying advance amounts in lakhs. Indian software engineers who are working in abroad are registering through internet for these kinds of flats.
Outsourcing and Off-shoring of IT jobs to India created a demand for software talents in the country. When I am mentioning IT or Software, it includes BPO sector too. College students are also working in BPO in nights and attending colleges in the day time. When a student earns 20,000 per month without much commitment to the family, obviously he/she tend to spend it in an envying way to others. They buy branded clothes, accessories and gadgets. They spend on dining, partying and leisure activities. It’s nobody’s fault. Anyone will have the right to enjoy their life as they wish. I feel money is not the exception to marginal utility theory.
But how other industries going to match the pay checks to IT sector?.
"Vaan Muhil Valaathu Peiga Mali Valam Surakka Mannan Kon Murai Arasu Seiga Kuraivilaathu Uyirgal Vaazgha, Naan Marai Arangal Onga Natravam Velvi Malga Menmai Kol Saiva Needhi Vilanguga Ulagam Ellam" "வான் முகில் வளாது பெய்க மலி வளம் சுரக்க மன்னன் கோன் முறை அரசு செய்க குறைவிலாது உயிர்கள் வாழ்க, நான் மறை அறங்கள் ஓங்க நற்றவம் வேள்வி மல்க மேன்மை கொள் சைவ நீதி விளங்குக உலகமெல்லாம் " Translation "Good enough rain for the world Quality soil Resource for cultivation King who rules as per justice and good guidelines Problem free life for all lives Large implementations of 4 vedas in society More existence of Good Prayers and Yaagas Upliftment of saivait rules (Guidelines of People who worship Lord Shiva) in all over the world" This is the prayer I used to recite in my 30 seconds of prayer time every day, eventhough I am not very serious about he second paragraph. I used to hear it in most of the prayers in temples and prayer mee...
Comments
Welcome to the rest of outsourcing. We in the US don't just export jobs but culture as well...especially business culture.
Consumerism is a powerful force and "convenience foods" are just the thin end of the wedge.
The demand for home ownership is almost insatiable and "pre-construction sales" are really very common.
The worst part about your last question is we already know the answer: They won't...
Jah
Thanks for commenting on my blog, thats how I found this wonderful blog.
You are right when you say only the jobs are imported. I feel culture cannot be 'imported'. It can have its own emphasis though..
Anyway, I studied in Pune for couple of years, and believe me being / staying in Pune is NOT worth it. Lack of good infrastructure and Govt cannot provide electricity in a continuous flow. Corruption and politics on the top of it!
The clothes, food and partying culture is just the thin edge of the wedge....the clock based work loads and osmotic effect of spending a day being exposed to the voice of "real" Americans over the fiber optic cable will eat away at the "authentic" Indian culture.
Nothing wrong with it in the abstract... I'm not complaining either....just we "flat worlders" are likely to end up with a blander, more hybrid version of our "root" cultures. Have you ever had curry from an American restaurant? It is not the same in Mumbai as it is in New York, even though the cooks might be brothers, because the consumer weeds out the dishes that are uncomfortable to an American palate....I still remember eating "real" curry and the long lasting burn it caused my mouth and throat.....
I'm not saying that India, except in small colonies, will ever be "American". Yet to retain a culture thousands of years old...and the traditions based within it....will be a challenge for your generation. Best of luck.....and let's share a pitcher of beer if I'm ever in India... or if you come to Florida.
Jah