Karnataka launches Engineering Research & Development policy; aims to create 50,000 new jobs
Bengaluru, Mar 2: The Karnataka government on Tuesday launched the Engineering Research & Development (ER&D) policy-2021, claimed to be the first such in the country, that aims to enable the state to contribute about 45 per cent to India's Engineering R&D during the policy period and create an additional about 50,000 new jobs.
Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), and NASSCOM were involved in drafting this policy after wider consultations with all the other participating stakeholders including the representatives of the industry, an official release said.
The five priority sectors of the policy include Aerospace & Defence; Auto, Auto Components & EV; Biotechnology (Bt), Pharma & Medical Devices; Semiconductors, Telecom, ESDM; and Software Products.
"The ER&D sector in the country is the fastest growing industry with a CAGR of 12.8 per cent. Meanwhile, the global Engineering Research and Development industry is expected to reach a spend of USD 2 trillion by 2025."
"Considering this scenario, this policy aims to prepare the state to make use of the future opportunities emanating from this sector," Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said.
Karnataka is currently the leading contributor to the Indian Engineering R&D industry revenue, and the state is home to over 400 leading R&D Centres/GCCs (global capability centres), according to the DCM, who also holds the IT/Bt and S&T portfolio.
The policy aims to retain this position, generation of intellectual property (IPs), and to make this as a skilled knowledge capital.
The state, which has been at the forefront of technological innovation for a long time, has come out with this visionary policy after studying the industry trends, he said.
It intends to make Karnataka a preferred destination of choice for global MNCs, GCC, engineering service providers (ESPs) and to create a suitable ecosystem all across the state, he added.
The objective of the policy include- attract leading Engineering R&D entities to establish and/or expand in Karnataka, creating strong linkages between Industry and Academia, establishing and offering access to advanced testing, prototyping, and other innovation infrastructure, facilitate ER&D entities to adopt leading practices and gain marketing opportunities.
It also envisages developing a research-oriented skilled talent pool and fostering a knowledge economy, attracting Engineering R&D intensive investment into Karnataka, and to augment capacity by bridging the gap between engineering/ research talent and industrys technology needs, the release said.
The investments offered under the policy include- rental reimbursement for setting up/ expanding in beyond Bengaluru urban district, recruitment assistance for setting up/ expanding in beyond Bengaluru urban district, investment subsidy for setting up or expanding in beyond Bengaluru urban district.
The policy aims to develop Engineering R&D Future Skills Courses and promote the adaptation of these courses in state government engineering universities/ affiliated colleges.
According to the release, to promote internships to bridge the gap between academic skills and the needs of the Engineering R&D industry, the government will reimburse 50 per cent of the internship stipend for interns per entity, for a period of 3 months, up to Rs 10,000 per month per intern.
The entity will offer internships to 33 per cent women candidates and consider 30 per cent of the total interns into full-time employment, it added.
A new chapter in the enhancement of R&D in Karnataka!
— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) March 2, 2021
Delighted that Engineering R&D Policy 2021 has been launched in partnership with @nasscom in the presence of @kris_sg, Chairman, IT Vision Group, T.M.Vijay Bhaskar, Chairman, KAR, and officials from @ITBTGoK.
1/11 pic.twitter.com/vgQlBBsVEl
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Apologise for seeking votes for Modi earlier: Uddhav Thackeray
Kolhapur (Maharashtra) (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government has betrayed Maharashtra, and he apologises to the people for seeking votes for the prime minister in earlier elections.
Thackeray and his Maha Vikas Aghadi ally and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar spoke at a rally at Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur district of western Maharashtra in support of Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Hatkanangale constituency, Satyajit Patil.
Talking about the circumstances in which his government fell in 2022, Thackeray said the Supreme Court had not delivered its verdict on whose Shiv Sena was the real one, but the "Election Commission and the arbitrator (Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar) who were working as their (BJP's) servants, gave their verdicts."
"Now when PM Modi calls us fake Shiv Sena, he is putting pressure on the court," Thackeray said.
Sharad Pawar said that Modi, during visits to Maharashtra, only criticises him (Pawar) and Thackeray instead of speaking about his plans for the state.
Pawar also accused the Centre of misusing central agencies and pointed to the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in alleged corruption cases.
Thackeray said when no one was willing to join hands with the BJP, the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with it. The saffron party, however, brought down the government of a man whose family had given it everything, he said, referring to the fall of his government in June 2022.
"I apologise for seeking votes for Modi (in the past) because his government has betrayed Maharashtra," the Sena (UBT) chief added.
He also accused the BJP of using the Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha elections but scheming to defeat its candidates in assembly polls.
"You used Shiv Sainiks (in Lok Sabha polls) but defeated our candidates (in assembly polls). I have come to avenge it," said Thackeray who parted ways with the BJP in 2019.
Thackeray and Pawar also shared the stage at a rally in Kolhapur city for Congress candidate Shahu Chhatrapati.
Pawar said on the occasion that prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about the country when he visited the states, while Indira Gandhi would talk about poverty alleviation.
"But this PM can not rest till he targets Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. I want to tell Modi ji, however may you criticise us and bypass important issues facing the state and the country, the people of Maharashtra will teach you a lesson," he said.
Hitting out at Modi for calling Pawar "wandering soul," Thackeray in his speech recalled that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had praised Pawar's disaster management skills.
