Karnataka to constitute Innovation Authority to support latest technologies: CM Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Sep 19: The Karnataka government would come out with a revised information technology policy, and constitute an Innovation Authority, and a vision group for startups, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Thursday.
Addressing senior executives of IT and biotech industry at an interactive meeting here, he said Karnataka contributes close to 40 per cent of the country's exports, and accounts for about 35 per cent the nation's biotechnology market share.
The government, in association with industry partners, is keen on taking up large-scale upskilling and reskilling of local workforce, the Chief Minister said.
"I encourage the industry to actively utilise local workforce who have the potential to be gainfully employed," Yediyurappa said.
Karnataka, he said, is on a mission to promote faster and inclusive growth.
"We recognise the prominence of IT to achieve this goal and we are going to announce the revised IT policy in the coming days," he said.
The policy will focus on attracting investments and employment to tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
He invited IT and BT companies to invest in cities like Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi, where "vibrant ecosystems already exist".
To support latest technologies, the government is going to announce Karnataka Innovation Authority under his chairmanship and Deputy Chief Minister, C N Ashwath Narayan, who holds the IT and BT and Science and Technology portfolios, as the co-chairman, Yediyurappa said.
The Chief Minister also announced that the government will constitute a vision group for startups, which will provide insights on strengthening the startup ecosystem, involving key stakeholders from industry and academia.
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Snowfall blocks two key roads providing alternative connectivity to Kashmir
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): Traffic on the Mughal and Sinthan Top roads, which provide alternate connectivity to Kashmir, was temporarily suspended on Sunday due to light to moderate snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
However, traffic on the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway -- the only all weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- was plying as usual despite intermittent rains that ended the over one-and-a-half months long dry spell, they said.
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The Mughal road, which connects the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian, was closed for traffic as a precautionary measure after more than three inches of snow was recorded at Peer Ki Gali on Sunday afternoon.
A group of three tea vendors are left stranded on the road and efforts are on to evacuate them to safety, officials said.
After they were trapped in the snow, the vendors made passionate appeals through video messages urging the authorities to rescue them. The Border Roads Organisation has taken up snow clearance work and is trying to reach the stranded persons, officials said.
The Sinthan Top road, which connects Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with south Kashmir's Anantnag, was also closed after moderate snowfall in the higher reaches.
Both the mountainous roads usually remain closed for several months due to heavy snowfall during winter.
