IT-BT Minister outlines vision, future projects for Heritage City at Big Tech Show

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru will be the future talent and knowledge-based hub with many knowledge-based industries coming up, generating over 12,000 jobs. Seven such companies have already come here and seven more are in the pipeline with an investment of Rs. 10,000 crore, said IT-BT Minister Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan.

Addressing the second day session of the Big Tech Show-2022 at Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza in city this morning where Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrashekar made his virtual presence, Dr. Ashwathnarayan outlined the vision and future projects that will be set up in Mysuru.

The event is being organised by the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).

“To make Tier-II and Tier-III cities beyond Bengaluru empowered with industrial and technology growth, Karnataka was the first State to implement the ambitious National Education Policy-2020 that lays a firm foundation for knowledge and talent, good governance, vibrant administration and infrastructure development,” Minister Dr. Ashwathnarayan said.

“We are focussed on an information communication technology policy for Mysuru which emphasises digital literacy of citizens thereby enhancing their level of information access. We feel that a better-informed citizenry is the first step towards creating a fleet of knowledge workers who would become the building blocks of a knowledge city,” he added.

Over 500 startups will set up shop in Mysuru in the next two years and a Global Tech Park will be set up by February 2023 and a Centre of Excellence will come up where Rs. 10 crore will be handed over to 10 startups as loan to set up their base in Mysuru. Along with a semiconductor fab plant worth Rs. 22,000 crore, a 230-acre chip design plant is being planned for Mysuru, the Minister said.

“All these industries will change the face of Mysuru. A Software Technology Park of India (STPI) is coming up in Mysuru and this is a result of the Beyond Bengaluru initiative. Karnataka is the first State in India to have two STPIs in addition to the one in the State capital (Bengaluru) and this is our achievement,” he said.

The Minister heaped praises on KDEM and said that the work done by KDEM will transform Mysuru into a knowledge and talent hub. The focus is also on other cities like Hubballi-Dharwad and Davanagere, he added.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said that improved connectivity through road, rail and air is being achieved and the Mysore Airport is being expanded into an international Airport and Rs. 160 crore is being spent on upgrading the Ring Road and a proposal for a peripheral Ring Road is on cards.

“All these initiatives will propel Mysuru as the next investment destination after Bengaluru. The focus of the administration is to plan for the overall development of Mysuru. The transition of Mysuru into a knowledge city and a talent-based city will be laid on the foundation of its culture and tradition,” he added.

Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT, Science & Technology; Department of Commerce & Industries, B.V. Naidu Chairman of KDEM, CEO Sanjeev Gupta, Meena Nagaraj, Director, Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Managing Director, Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Eskae Bo Rosenberg, Denmark Consul General, Andrew Fleming, Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Dr. Ajay Garg, Senior Director, MEITY, Dr. Krishnamurthy, CEO, IESA, Prashanth Prakash, Co-Founder and Partner ACCL were present.