States call on consultants to bring in investment

NEW DELHI: State governments are banking on consultants to shore up investments. They are engaging consultants to do a due diligence and make them attractive for companies to set up shop there.

Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Punjab and AP are enlisting consultants for services ranging from HR demand-supply assessment to checking out education quality and need for capacity building. The states hope that engaging suave consultants will help to attract companies.

Global firms, including Hewitt Associates, Manpower, E&Y, PwC and KPMG are offering professional expertise in this regard. Infosys and Dell have worked out strategies to foray into states via Hewitt, says Rakesh Malik, practice leader, Hewitt India.

“These states are also seeking co-operation of consultants in providing skill enhancement to enable people to tap job opportunities in IT and infrastructure,” says Soumen Basu, executive chairman, Manpower India.