Addressing the US Investment Summit organised by the Indo-US Business Council yesterday, he said he is awaiting Government orders that will bestow upon him the powers under the Benami Act to sternly deal with bureaucrats known to be corrupt. Greater transparency in administrative procedures will also considerably bring down graft, he pointed out.

As part of the anti-corruption drive, all the banks in the country have been instructed to computerise their operations before Jan 1, 2001, he said, adding that this order will help contain recurring fraudulent practices in the banks.

Declaring that India will emerge as a super power in information technology, Vittal said the country is already in possession of IT infrastructure conforming to internationalstandards. In this context, he called upon the software industry to realise the enormous potential Indian languages hold for applications and development.

Referring to the leading position India held as an exporter of software packages, he said the industry will have a quantum leap if the domestic sector is also strengthened and deepened. The IT enabled services, particularly in the health care sector, can be exploited profitably with international collaborations, he suggested.

Telecom Secretary Anil Kumar said in another two days another important component of the telecom policy will be unveiled. The policy framework, which will be finalised by March end, will provide a conducive environment for the rapid growth of telecommunications, he said.

With the new telecom policy in place ensuring greater private sector participation, the users will have access to one of the most modern systems and in addition all the telecom related facilities will be available on demand, he assured theentrepreneurs.