MUMBAI, July 20: ThE apex body of the Indian software industry Nasscom has targeted a $ 1 billion from software exports in the e-business and e-commerce areas for 2002. Speaking at the e-business India seminar on Tuesday, Nasscom president Dewang Mehta said the total volume of e-commerce transactions in India was estimated at Rs 131 crore in 1998-99.Revealing the preliminary findings of a Nasscom study to be released in August, Mehta said e-commerce transaction-based revenue was slated to reach Rs 300 crore in 1999-2000 and shoot up to Rs 10,000 crore in the next two to three years, with continued government support. The market for providing e-commerce software solutions in the country is expected to fetch Rs 3,000 crore by 2002."With the corporates planning to revive IT spending after Y2K problem e-commerce solutions would emerge as a major business opportunity for Indian software houses," he said. The Y2K problem was a big drain on the IT budgets of corporates limiting their spending on other areas.The industry body also released a 20-point action plan for proliferation of e-commerce in the country.Calling for an early passage of cyberlaws like the Information Technology Bill, Electronic Commerce Bill and Electronic Commerce Support Bill, Mehta said these were the primary concerns of the industry and users. The Information Technology Bill deals with recognition of electronic records and signatures, electronic contracts, implications of digital signature recording and usage, duties and regulation of certification authorities and computer crime, among other issues. Electronic Commerce and Electronic Support bills deal with international transactions.The passage of these bills would clear most of the impediments related to security, electronic evidence, electronic money and digital signatures, Nasscom said in its 20-point action plan.It asked the government not to levy any taxes on e-commerce transactions for a three-year period similar to what the United States government has announced. "Thisalso requires including state governments and municipalities as sales tax and octroi are issues which need to be resolved," it said.
