Electronic manufacturing clusters to come up in four districts, says K'taka Industries Minister

BENGALURU: The State Government will develop four districts as an integrated electronic system design and manufacturing (ESDM) clusters, in collaboration with global ESDM companies, Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar said here on Wednesday.

The ESDM clusters will be developed at Chikkaballapura, Mysuru, Kolar and Dharwad (Hubballi) districts under the cluster development programme. Plots of lands required to develop clusters have been identified in these districts, he said, at an ESDM workshop in Bengaluru. The Industries department has had discussions with 87 companies and more than 10 have come forward to invest in the state, he said.

The Minister said that the government was committed towards industrial development of tier two and tier three cities. To focus on establishing an ecosystem comprising supportive policies, access to world-class infrastructure, skill development, and a range of other such enablers, the government has introduced an initiative for the development of industrial ecosystem called Product Focussed Industrial Cluster Development Program, where product-specific manufacturing clusters are being developed across the State.

Gaurav Gupta, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industries, said Karnataka is one of the top states in the country when it comes to chip design sector. It contributes 40% to electronic design and 30% to electronics manufacturing in the country. The state is home to about 30% of ESDM companies. Karnataka aims to be at the forefront of the ESDM sector globally, he said.

He said that Mysuru is the ideal location for eco-friendly ESDM activities while Dharwad is best for innovative electronics manufacturing related activities. The government, having recognised this, will provide a special package to investors who come forward to invest in this sector and also make sure world-class infrastructure is provided, he added.