Karnataka govt to establish 3 dedicated global innovation districts: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday announced that the State government would establish three dedicated global innovation districts in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi.
"These will be dedicated parks for GCCs (Global Capability Centres) to set up shop here in the state," he said after inaugurating the 27th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) here.
He noted that the State had recently launched India's first dedicated Global Capability Centres (GCC) policy, aimed at empowering and supporting these centres.
The three-day tech conclave is organised by the State government's Department of Electronics, IT and BT, with Australia being the official country-partner for the event.
The Chief Minister said the Bengaluru Global Innovation District will be part of the Knowledge, Well-being, and Innovation City (KWIN City), which will serve as a global hub for innovation and research.
"Our state is a preferred destination for GCCs, thanks to its unmatched engineering talent and the highest number of AI professionals globally. This will further be strengthened by our initiatives under 'NIPUNA Karnataka' which will be a program designed to create
industry-ready workforce," he said.
Talking about the five MoUs signed at the tech summit with Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, IBM and BFSI Consortium, he said: "They are going to skill one lakh individuals in the state of Karnataka."
"Through a cluster-based approach, we are driving balanced regional growth, from Mangaluru's fintech leadership and Hubballi-Dharwad's advancements in EVs (electric vehicles) and drones - to Mysuru being a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) cluster," Siddaramaiah said.
"We are tailoring policies and infrastructure to harness regional strengths and attract investments to emerging clusters also along with our focus on Bengaluru," he said.
Stressing that the government has made significant investments in physical and digital infrastructure to bolster tech-driven sectors, the Chief Minister said, "Initiatives like the 'Namma Grama Namma Raste' program for rural connectivity and the Special Development Program are enhancing accessibility and economic opportunities across Karnataka."
"We believe in extending the benefits of growth beyond the tech sector through programs like ‘Beyond Bengaluru,’ which bring technology to rural areas, increase agricultural productivity, and improve e-education for students and positively impact delivery of all citizen services," he said.
Siddaramaiah noted that Karnataka’s startup ecosystem has seen remarkable growth, with an 18.2 per cent increase from 2022 to 2023, totaling 3,036 startups and making the state a leader with 8.7 per cent of India’s total startups.
"This success reflects our strong support and vibrant opportunities for entrepreneurs. Our collaboration with the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) has connected more than 200 startups with 100 funding firms, providing capital, mentorship, and growth opportunities," he said.
The Chief Minister also said an Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) would be set up in Kochanahalli near Mysuru, which will strengthen Karnataka’s role in the global semiconductor industry, creating jobs and driving economic growth in both urban and rural regions.
According to officials, BTS 2024 is hosting delegations from over 15 countries, including the USA, Australia, the UK and France. These high-level delegations, featuring government officials, industry leaders, and innovators, will enrich the summit with diverse perspectives and collaborative opportunities, they said.
The summit features a multi-stage conference across six tracks: IT, Deep tech and Trends, Biotech and Health Tech, Startup Ecosystem, Global Innovation Alliance, India-USA Tech Conclave, and the newly introduced Electro-Semicon track, officials added.
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2nd WT20I: Shafali, spin trio do star turns in India''s seven-wicket win
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Shafali Verma hit a blistering unbeaten 69 as India made short work of a paltry target to outclass Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Women’s T20 International here on Tuesday.
India now lead the five-match series 2-0 after another one-sided victory, having restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 128 for 9 through a collective display of disciplined bowling from the spin trio of seasoned Sneh Rana, ably complemented by young spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
During the chase, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (14) fell cheaply but Shafali, enjoying new found confidence after a stellar show in the World Cup final, sent the bowlers on a leather-hunt during her 34-ball knock, winning it for her team in just 11.5 overs.
The hosts have now completed back-to-back successful chases within 15 overs which speaks volumes about the unit's sky-high confidence.
Shafali's innings had 11 punchy boundaries apart from a maximum.
The floodgates opened when left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera bowled a few flighted deliveries and Shafali would step out everytime to hit her over extra cover. Her footwork against slow bowlers was immaculate whether stepping out to loft the ball or rocking back to punch or pull.
Seeing her confidence, the newly appointed Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls) also attacked as the duo added 58 runs in just 4.3 overs.
By the time Rodrigues was out trying to hit one six too many, the match as a contest was over. Shafali completed her half-century off just 27 balls and completed the formalities in a jiffy.
Earlier, off-spinner Rana, who got a look-in after Deepti Sharma was ruled out due to fever, showed her utility keeping the Lankan batters under tight leash with figures of 1 for 11 in 4 overs, including a maiden which certainly is a rarity in T20 cricket.
Charani, who made an impression during India's ODI World Cup triumph, took 2 for 23 in her quota of overs, while Vaishnavi after an impressive debut in the opening encounter, finished with 2 for 32, not letting the Islanders get easy runs in her second spell.
The last six wickets fell for just 24 runs, but what stood out during India’s bowling effort was their superb ground fielding. After a patchy show in the previous game, the improved sharpness in the field resulted in three run-outs.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu (31 off 24 balls) looked in good nick as she deposited length deliveries from seamers Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy over the ropes but it was Rana, who kept her quiet by repeatedly pitching on good length.
Unable to manoeuvre the strike and with the big hits suddenly drying up, Athapaththu chanced her arm at another delivery in which Rana had shortened the length slightly.
Not having transferred the weight into the lofted shot, Athapaththu's hoick was pouched cleanly by Amanjot Kaur at long-off.
This was after Athapaththu's opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne (1) had offered a simple return catch to Gaud.
Hasini Perera (22 off 28 balls) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 off 32 balls) did stitch a stand of 44 but they could never set the tempo against the Indian spin troika.
Once Hasini offered a tame return catch off a Charani full-toss, Sri Lankans never recovered and lost wickets in a heap towards the end.
