Minister for Information Technology (IT) and Bio Technology (BT) C.N. Ashwath Narayan on Friday said there is no dearth of land for growth of industries in the State.
Speaking after inaugurating the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission’s (KDEM) office in Mysuru, he referred to the emphasis made on expediting acquisition of land by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for already approved projects by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who spoke earlier, and said there is no need to worry about land acquisition for development.
He said the Additional Chief Secretary for IT and BT Ramana Reddy was also the Additional Chief Secretary for the Department of Industries, which is a good combination, particularly for the growth of IT and BT industries. He said his Department will work with the Industries Department, under Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani, to ensure that land is made available to IT and BT companies.
“There is no need to worry for land. Just ask how much you want and where you want”, he said before adding that the government was in a position to ensure that supply of land is more than demand.
With the country aiming to become a 5 trillion-dollar economy by 2025, out of which digital economy should reach 1 trillion dollars, Mr. Narayan pointed out that Karnataka’s IT and BT economy, which is presently worth 50 billion dollars, should reach 150 billion dollars in the next four years.
To achieve the target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the State government has chalked out a number of programmes including Beyond Bengaluru, which among other things, aims to provide 10 lakh jobs by developing IT and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) sector in Tier-2 cities like Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubbali-Dharwad. IT industry in Karnataka already accounts for 25 per cent of the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP). The State is aiming to take it upto 30 per cent by 2025.
Mr. Narayan, who is also the Minister for Higher Education, emphasised the importance of education as well as broadband and Internet connectivity in the development of the society. Pointing out that India’s capital was in its human resources, which should be developed with proper education and skills, Mr. Narayan said the countries world over have begun investing heavily in virtual infrastructure.
After COVID-19, he said there has been a perceptible shift in investment from physical to virtual infrastructure. Roads and railways were also important, but Internet connectivity has become essential to ensure that governance and administration is taken to the “finger-tips” of the people. Taking administration to the “door-step” is passe. Now, administration should be taken to the “finger-tips” of people in terms of governance, health, education, trade as well as in the agriculture sector.
The Telecom Department, which had lost its relevance in recent times, had now been roped in by his Department to ensure that Internet connectivity is easily accessible by the people. The Telecom Department, which is working closely with the IT Department of the State under “transaction of business” rules, has strengthened Broadband and Internet connectivity under the State government’s telecom policy.
