NECTA on expansion spree

North East Computer Traders Association (NECTA), the Guwahati-based association for north-eastern channel partners, recently witnessed a surge of 45 members taking its total membership number to 145.

The ongoing fiasco with Rashi Peripherals seems to have paid off well creating a huge interest amongst local partners and bringing NECTA into the limelight.

With this increase in numbers, NECTA now becomes the second largest IT association in eastern India following Computer Association of Eastern India (Compass).

Speaking exclusively to The DQ Week, Avinash Jalan, joint secretary, NECTA said, "After NECTA began addressing issues of the common channel partners in the region, including taking up the case with Rashi Peripherals, we saw an increase of 45 members which is a considerable increase in the north-east".

However, the association has bigger plans in the membership drive with NECTA seemingly growing more ambitious in the region.

"Although most of the members are currently centred in Assam and mostly in Guwahati, we have also expanded across the Seven Sisters", Trideep Talukdar, president, NECTA added.

The association has 3 members each in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur; however Tripura owing to its proximity with Kolkata (in business terms) has not shown much interest. More members from Meghalaya are meeting NECTA officials next week and newer additions are in the offing.

Although the membership drive has considerably increased the presence of NECTA across north-east, virgin territory still remains for the association with the body not delving deep into channel presence.

"There are issues with most of the channel partners in more upcountry locales in north-east as most of them are not fully into the IT channel business; as a policy, we don't include entrepreneurs who are not dedicated to IT business and hence have to leave out some of the areas", argued Ranjan Das, member, NECTA explaining the stance of the association.

However, NECTA has taken up many issues, other than the ongoing saga with Rashi Peripherals, particularly in initiating an unequivocal policy for national distributors which has henceforth now been taken up by Confederation of Indian IT Associations (CIITA) recently.

Apart from this initiative, to strengthen its impact as well as membership, NECTA has also taken up an anti-piracy drive across Guwahati. Also, it has successfully implemented the clause to have a NoC certificate issued from existing employees to safeguard members against poaching.

With these initiatives in place and a growing ambitious membership drive, NECTA is poised to emerge as the undisputed leader in the north-eastern region overtaking other minor and local associations.