Karnataka unveils new startup policy, targets 25,000 startups over five years
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet approved the Karnataka Startup Policy (2025-30), which aims to build 25,000 companies across the state, 10,000 of which will be outside of Bengaluru. The government has also set up Rs 518.27 crore to implement the strategy over a five-year period.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil said on Thursday, while briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting that the new policy aims to expand the state’s startup ecosystem into tier-2 and tier-3 regions. The focus sectors will include artificial intelligence, blockchain, quantum computing and other deep-technology fields.
According to a note from the IT/BT Department, India, which currently has world’s third-largest startup ecosystem with 1.59 lakh startups, includes over 73,000 led by women. Karnataka has more than 18,000 recognised startups. These startups account for 15% of those recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The note also states that half of all funded startups in the country are based in Bengaluru.
The government plans to support startup incubation and acceleration facilities and expand growth beyond the capital through key initiatives. The 'Beyond Bengaluru Cluster Seed Fund,' will provide early-stage capital, mentorship and access to investor networks for startups in smaller cities, while Elevate Beyond Bengaluru, will focus on nurturing entrepreneurial activity in tier-2 and tier-3 centres.
The policy also proposes a Rs 500-crore ‘fund of funds’ to help startups working on longer-gestation innovation projects. In addition, the government intends to develop growth labs across six identified technology clusters, grouped under two regions: Cluster A (Mysuru, Mangaluru, Tumakuru) and Cluster B (Hubballi–Dharwad, Kalaburgi, Shivamogga).
In a statement, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said Karnataka remains a leading force in the country’s innovation landscape, and the new policy aims to strengthen entrepreneurship models and encourage inclusive development across the state.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
