Union Minister of State for Electronics Information Technology, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrashekar is totally committed to diversifying technology projects to places outside Bengaluru, and steps are being taken to address infrastructure issues in tier-2 cities and other places in Karnataka.
Interacting with mediapersons in Mangaluru on August 18 on the third day of his Janashirvada Yatra, Mr. Chandrashekar said diversifying technology projects outside Bengaluru is the need of the hour, as it is not good for Bengaluru and Karnataka to have projects concentrated in one place.
There were some specific issues, including internet connectivity, in Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Shivamogga and other parts of Karnataka. “I have put people on the job to identify these issues and address them,” he said.
Simultaneously, the Union Minister is meeting industry representatives and asking them to invest in centres outside Bengaluru. “We are encouraging them to grow and move their growth out of Bengaluru, Pune and Gurguram,” he said.
There are efforts to have more centres of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIEIT), which trains youths in IT skills.
He was working with the State government to accelerate the Bharath Broadband Network Limited's project of providing high-quality internet to houses. He was also pursuing the pilot project of wiring 5,000 villages in the country by which villages will get necessary internet facilities.
With employees preferring to work from homes in the post-COVID-19 situation, the government is strengthening infrastructure that helps people to work from Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Sirsi and Hubballi-Dharward, he said.
In consonance with Prime Minister's vision of making the country a world leader in technology, Mr. Chandrashehar said a national mission on artificial intelligence, block chain, quantum computing and other emerging technologies will be launched on August 25-26.
