Chief Minister Siddaramaiah opined that technology, at its core, is a tool for human progress. He was speaking at the interactive session at the curtain raiser of the Bengaluru Tech Summit held on Monday.
The CM said that the Bengaluru Tech Summit is an event that stands as a testament to our commitment to innovation, technology, and progress. We celebrate not just our remarkable technological achievements but also the indomitable spirit of innovation that has come to define our state’. This summit is a testament to our unwavering dedication to fostering an ecosystem that nurtures and propels cutting-edge technology.
Stating that Congress leaders in Karnataka recognised the potential of the IT sector early in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The foundation for the state’s IT ecosystem was laid based on the vision of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi by promoting policies that encouraged investment in technology and infrastructure, he said. The Congress-led government introduced Karnataka’s first IT policy in 1992. This policy laid the groundwork for the development of Electronics City, which eventually became a symbol of India’s IT prowess, the CM said.
Favourable environment for technocrats
Our government is committed to restore the lost climate for investments and create a more favourable environment for technocrats to innovate, invent and invest in Karnataka. The Congress has always given stability to the political system, governance and administration in the state. We are committed to provide a stable and predictable policy environment to make long-term commitments, the CM assured.
The CM stated that Bengaluru, known as Silicon Valley and IT capital of India, has networks with all the major markets. This will lead the manufacturing sector to access markets and service sectors to reach out to potential clients. Bengaluru is no 1 in IT and BT exports and has all the potential to be no 1 in the world and our government is committed to achieving it. Overall, Bengaluru and Karnataka are ideally positioned to continue to lead the country in Technology and Innovation and further, our state’s IT industry is at a crossroads, with emerging technologies like IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum computing redefining the landscape, he said.
Aligning education with industry needs
Karnataka aims to lead this transformation by fostering research and development in these domains and attracting global talent and investments. Our government is already working towards establishing Centres of Excellence in these domains for all the stakeholders concerned to collaborate. We commit to boosting skill development, encouraging entrepreneurship, and aligning education with industry needs to meet future demands effectively, he said.
Skill Council, a game-changer
Karnataka was the first state in the country to establish a separate department for skill development. We are also working towards setting up a Skill Council, which will be a collaboration with all the stakeholders concerned, and this will be a game-changer, bridging the industry-academia gap. Collaborations with educational institutions will ensure a future-ready workforce and ignite innovation. Karnataka’s tech prowess extends beyond borders. We are committed to leveraging our strengths to address global challenges like climate change, global warming, cyber security, the CM explained.
Startups and young companies are the lifeblood of innovation. We’ll provide them with the support and resources they need to thrive. We had, in the past too, provided support to start-ups by housing them in the Incubation centres, providing funding, and mentorship fuelling their growth. Karnataka aspires to set the national agenda for technological leadership, driving innovation, and fostering an inclusive and sustainable IT ecosystem, the CM said. Stating that the Government is open to suggestions and discussions with the industries to create a favourable environment, the CM said that there is no better destination than Karnataka in the country.
On Fast track to reduce traffic problems
Bengaluru, being one of the fastest growing cities in the world, is definitely facing challenges in terms of infrastructure development, standard of living, traffic, transportation, etc. There is definitely a shift in priorities of our government compared to the previous government. Our government is on the fast track to reduce traffic problems by improving public transport usage experience, improving last mile connectivity and creating infrastructure to remove bottlenecks. We are committed to expanding the metro network rapidly. We are also fast-tracking the metro construction work to the Airport. We are providing land and resources to establish industry clusters in and around Bengaluru.